Hack
by ImmaLynx
Summary: Prompto doesn't just break the fourth wall; he shatters it. Strange circumstances find him staring into the window of another world, putting him in contact with someone who may be able to help him change his destiny. In which Prompto's fourth-wall-breaking abilities come in handy. Magical hacking ensues. Tags and warnings inside. OT5 – Moved to AO3 @Lynxrider. 32 posted.
1. Oddities

**_TAGS and WARNINGS: F/M, M/M, Sexual Content, Canon Typical Violence, Murder of the Fourth Wall, I mean, it's guts end up all over my floor and my other walls are terrified, OC's, World Warping and Merging Mayhem, NOT SELF INSERT, Au in that there are Other Universes. If any of this is not to your preferences, there's the door. For the rest of you, enjoy!_**

 _Quick note before we get started. I'm completely ignoring the timeline of the events of the game "plot" and instead basing it off of one of my playthroughs, assuming 1 hour IRL is 24 hours in game. For instance: I spent about ten hours wandering around Liede killing stuff before moving on to Galdin Quay, which means they were there for ten days. Yes, I'm one of those players who meticulously fills in every portion of the available map before getting anything done. I think the polite term is 'completionist', but you are welcome to call me obsessive if you like, I won't be offended. In any case, the pacing might end up a little weird at times because of this, but it is totally purposeful and useful to the actual plot that Prompto realizes it._

-o0o-

The region of Leide was _not_ one of Prompto's favorite places. Hot, arid wind bit at his face and skin at any point during the day, and no matter how he applied lip balm, his lips still cracked. Being of fair complexion didn't help matters either. In the two weeks they had been trapped in the region he had burnt repeatedly, only adding to the smattering of freckles over his face and shoulders, because no matter how many times it happened, his skin refused to tan. Noctis didn't seem to fare much better than he, though his skin just burned, peeled then turned back white while Gladio and Ignis continued to get darker every day. Especially Gladio, who the second they entered this godsforsaken desert promptly took off his shirt and hasn't put it back on since. Showoff…

It hadn't exactly been a walk in the park since this crazy journey began. What started out as an eight hour road trip plus two days on boat to get to Altissia for Noctis's wedding turned into their car breaking down, their wallet getting reduced to nothing, and two weeks of unsolicited monster hunting _in the desert_ to make up for the cost of repairing the car. They hadn't had a real bed to sleep in for over a week!

Prompto wasn't complaining, though. Noooo, that wouldn't be like him at _all_. Well, okay, maybe a _little_ complaining. It hadn't been all bad though! He'd gotten to hang out with his friends much more than he ever had in Insomnia, no pesky duties or part time jobs to get in the way. Not that he needed a part time job anymore though, since he'd just joined the Crownsgaurd. Still not sure how he felt about that. Didn't really feel all that real yet, to be honest. Maybe it wouldn't until he got paid for the first time, which he was still nervous about. For some reason he hadn't expected that he would get paid for this, which, duh, but he really hadn't thought about it. Not until he saw the contract for life's service (hold the heart attack and remember you wanted this, Prompto) and saw the ridiculous amount that would be going into his bank account every month (What!? What!? He wasn't even sure how to spend that much!). Buuuut that was an issue for another day.

At the moment, Prompto wasn't thinking about his new job. Nor about the potentially life-threatening mission they were sent on by Cindy, the (goddess-like) mechanic who was working on their car at the moment, into the depths of some mine shaft that a hunter had, for some strange, untold reason, left a car part in. Not even about the wind that kept annoyingly blowing his gelled bangs into his already gritty eyes. No, there was something much more distressing than any of those things, something Prompto had been contemplating for some time.

That song...it was stuck in his head again.

It was odd, if Prompto did say so himself. Not the song. The song was positively _beautiful_ ; a soothing, tender start, the crescendo of anticipation of discovery that made his heart beat faster, then the rolling drums that made his blood sing with the want for _adventure_. It was as if an orchestra had taken the majesty of the land around him and turned it into a sound that made everything _breathtaking_.

No, it wasn't the song, though it was hardly the kind of music he generally listened to. He was more of a 'bleeps and bloops' guy, himself, rather than that kind of wanderlust adventure music.

And it wasn't as if Prompto was a stranger to having tracks in his head. He happened to be one of those people that always had something playing on his internal radio. Sometimes it was made up, like the silly jingle that just came to him one day for his favorite animal in the whole wide world, or sometimes something he's heard on the airwaves at some point or other. His propensity to randomly belt out whatever song happened to be on his mind was both a source of amusement to his traveling companions and a quirk that they had long become used to. So what was so strange about this one?

It might be that he's absolutely positive he's never heard it before.

He might have thought that he made it up at some point, but that was just ridiculous. As much as Prompto considered himself an artist (never miss!), he was a photographer, not a musician, silly jingles aside. And that song was no jingle, but a masterpiece of music with ebbs and flows and gotta be fifteen different instruments. Not only that, but he heard it with perfect clarity. Every. Time. No one's imagination is that good!

And the timing of it was a bit odd as well. Like, he only seemed to hear it randomly when they were running from place to place. At first, he didn't even really notice it, only hearing snatches of it here and there in the first few days of their journey. It was only when he noticed that it immediately cut off at certain times–like when he got in the Regalia or they stepped into a monster nest–that he really started to pay attention. He...kinda regretted it. Because with every repetition, it became clearer, to the point where he became completely distracted and his companions were growing concerned for his wellbeing.

Like now.

"Prompto! Hurry it up!" Noctis shouted, husky voice layered with equal parts exhaustion and annoyance.

Prompto snapped back to reality, the arid region of Liede coming back into focus like a slap to the face. He startled as he realized that all three of his friends were staring at him, pausing on top of the incline they had been scaling for the better part of half an hour. Or maybe it was more? Prompto wasn't quite sure how long he had been spacing out. He had fallen behind a bit as he stared into the sky fruitlessly for the source of music only he could hear.

"Th-there in a jiffy," he shouted back, jumping into a hasty jog to catch up. He sighed in relief when the strange music faded out into the sounds of the wind.

Noctis rolled his eyes before lazily leaning onto one hip as Prompto skidded to a stop beside his three companions. "I swear, if you spaced out any more, we would end up carrying you from place to place just to get anywhere."

Gladio snorted, crossing his considerable arms over his bare chest. "You mean _I_ would have to carry him from place to place."

Noct's blue eyes narrowed at his sheild. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Tch. What do you think, princess?"

Noctis growled and Prompto let out a nervous chuckle at the usual banter exchange. Gladio and Noctis probably had this argument at least once a week, and it never failed to devolve into something ridiculous. Prompto's shoulders eased slightly, glad for the distraction from his own troubling thoughts, a small smile growing on his face.

It faltered a bit, though, as Prompto caught the eye of the prince's advisor who had not been quite as distracted. A frown pulled at Ignis's thin lips as he pushed his glasses with a gloved hand, the glare from the setting sun not distracting from his piercing green gaze. Prompto shifted uncomfortably, heart stuttering a bit, before plastering on a wide grin and looking away. "Aw, come on Gladdy, I'm sure Noct could carry me...a few feet at least!"

"What!" Noctis glowered. "Not you too, Prom!" Gladiolus threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing dramatically off the canyon beside them and drowning out Prompto's own giggles. Even Ignis broke composure and smiled.

Suddenly Prompto's world warped and he let out an undignified squeak, laughter cut off via Noct's shoulder digging into his gut. "Wha–Hey! Noct!" He was resolutely ignored as Noctis easily threw the protesting blonde over his shoulders in a fireman's carry and began trudging up the road once more, Gladio and Ignis falling silent in utter shock. For a second, only Noctis's angry muttering could be heard before a bewildered look between Prompto and the two stunned men behind them set Gladio off again, Ignis only letting out a put-upon sigh.

Prompto yelped as Noctis leaned forward and shifted his weight as if Prompto were a sack of potatoes. "Ah! N-Noct! Put me down! What the hell man!?"

"Gah! Prompto! Hold still!"

"No way! Leggo!"

"Not a chance! I'll prove I can carry the runt of the group, no problem!"

"Wha–who are you calling runt!? We're the same size!"

"Are not!"

"Wah! Gladio heeeelp!" But Prompto's pleas fell on deaf ears as the large man was doubled over in a laughing-hacking fit, Ignis lightly patting him on his back, shoulders shaking himself. Prompto couldn't help but smile at Ignis's pained expression, and found himself laughing as well, playfully mussing Noct's hair in retaliation as the prince refused to put him down.

For now the song was silent, and Prompto let himself forget, if only for a little while.

-o0o-

His peace of mind didn't exactly last for long. At least, not as long as he'd hoped.

The four stopped not long after sundown, even the ever tireless Gladio admitting that they could use a break. Their destination was only a few more miles down the road, but none of them wanted to tackle the Balouve Mines on empty stomachs after a full day of trudging through the desert.

The second they reached the haven at the top of the hill, Noctis collapsed onto the cool glowing stone with a dramatic moan, rubbing his burned face against it in the hopes to alleviate some of the heat. "Ugh, I'm so _tired._ "

"Maybe you wouldn't be if you hadn't tried to carry Prompto in a misguided attempt to prove your strength," Ignis commented dryly, his accented voice clipped with amusement.

"Not that I minded," Prompto collapsed on the ground as well, grinning. "At least I got to have a break, even if it was still pathetically short."

"Shadaaap," Noctis groaned, wiggling into the ground like a nuzzling pup before falling still.

"Oh, no you don't," Gladio growled, kicking his prince in the boot. "You are _not_ falling asleep before you help set up camp."

"And not before you eat," Ignis piped in.

"Uuugh, do it yourself," Noctis mumbled.

"Shall I chew for you, too?" Ignis retorted, pulling a surprised laugh from Prompto. Noctis rolled his head to the side and stroked his chin, as if considering it. Gladio reached down and smacked him on the ass, merely snorting at the undignified yelp and glare he received in response.

"Come on, princess, up! None of us can summon the gear and you know it. So if you don't want to sleep on the ground with an empty stomach when the temperature drops, I suggest you get off you lazy ass and help."

Muttering under his breath– " _Slave_ drivers, the lot of them..."–Noctis levered himself up into a sitting position and waved for the other three to stand back. Prompto scrambled to his feet and joined the others at the edge of the haven, watching on with interest. Even though he'd been able to summon weapons from Noctis's armory for a while now, he'd never been able to do more than that. He never grew tired of watching his best friend's casual display of raw power and revelled in it at every opportunity.

Without even bothering to get to his feet, Noctis lifted his arms–Prompto wondered if he even needed to do that, or if it was just habit–and several flashes of blue light went off at once as the three shielded their eyes, the glow never failing to send a shiver of awe up Prompto's spine. Several heavy thunks later announced the arrival of their gear, summoned from nothing. Prompto blinked the spots out of his eyes, watching the last of the blue sparks of Noct's magic light up his fair features, and immediately moved forward to pick up the camping chairs off the top of the pile, a giddy smile on his face. Ignis and Gladio were not far behind.

Prompto set up the chairs in their usual spots around the fire pit, scooting around Gladio as he fiddled with the firewood and Noct, who still hadn't moved, seeming to doze in place on his knees. Prompto smirked down at his friend and nudged him with his hip, only to drop everything he was carrying so he could catch the tilting prince before he could crack open his head and spill his royal brains all over their campsite.

"Whoa, hey buddy, don't _really_ fall asleep here!" Prompto gasped as he tried to put Noctis back upright. The lolling of Noct's head and a light snore was Prompto's only answer. "Astrals, you really can fall asleep anywhere!"

"Hm," Ignis hummed, pausing in his dinner preparations to regard the slumbering prince. "Perhaps we've been working him a bit too hard as if late."

"Like hell we are," Gladio said, not pausing in his task. "He's just being dramatic. Lazy kid."

"I dunno, Gladio," Prompto said softly, hefting Noctis up into his sling chair with a grunt, not disturbing the raven haired man in the slightest. "Ever since we've left the city, he's been fighting like his life depends on it–okay so maybe it _does,_ " he amended at the shield's look, "but we've known Noct for years and he's never worked this hard. I mean, did you see how he fought today? Warping around, like, every other second and picking a fight with pretty much any monster we came across?" And it was weird, because it wasn't in his best friend's nature to pick fights with _anything_ if he didn't have to, and he never used to warp around this much before. Prompto had been noticing it for a while now. And it wasn't only that, but for some strange reason, Noctis had been dragging the three of them all over the place with a curiosity that was completely out of character, usually not one to want to explore, especially when there was literally nothing of interest out here. It was just another strange thing that Prompto could stack up on his growing list of oddities lately.

"What are you talking about, Prom? Noct's always been like that," Gladio said absently, coaxing the tiny flame beneath his cupped hands to life.

Prompto paused halfway through arranging the prince's arms on his lap, expression freezing on his face. He did not just hear what he thought he heard. Right? That's it! Gladio must be joking. He forced a laugh that was slightly too loud and late to be natural. "Ah..haha, Gladio good one."

Gladiolus looked up at him at that, a small frown of concern turning the corners of his mouth. "Uh, I wasn't joking."

Prompto's forced smile persisted, though his heart began to pound painfully in his chest. He couldn't place it, but there was something strange going on, and it was beginning to freak him out. Like for instance: Gladio saying that something Noctis has _never_ done is _completely normal_. "Alright, you got me. I dunno what training sessions you've been participating in the last few years, but Noctis does _not_ usually fight like that, at least not until this crazy trip."

Ignis and Gladiolus exchanged glances, both looking confused as Prompto felt. "Prompto," Ignis tried, "Noctis hasn't been behaving any differently." Prompto's smile began to waver. "If anyone has been behaving oddly, it is you. Are you quite alright?"

Prompto's smile slid slowly downwards. "You...you're kidding right? This is Noctis we're talking about. Noct, who can't stand to do any work unless he has to, who would rather sleep than obsessively explore a _desert_. Noct," his voice starts to become frantic as his friends' expressions only get more concerned, "who hates running with a passion but has been doing nothing _but_ running _constantly_ since we left and _how could you not think that's weird, guys, come on!_ "

"Uh," Gladio said, "maybe you should call it an early night, Prom. We have been going pretty hard lately."

"Yes," Ignis agreed slowly. "I will prepare something light so we can all turn in soon. Perhaps you will feel better in the morn."

Prompto's heart raced as his breath shortened in his chest, anxiety and confusion lancing his stomach like a spear. What was going on? These two had known Noctis since _birth_ and they were acting like nothing was happening here!? Why was he the only one noticing this? Was he crazy? No, he remembered how Noct was, he's his best friend! Prompto's breath came in short gasps as the campsite swirled around him. Ignis and Gladio's faces filled with alarm, but he was no longer looking at them.

His eyes shot around wildly because on top of everything else _something_ began flickering at the edge of his vision, some bright light that he couldn't spot because everytime he looked it disappeared. "Wha–wha–"

"Prompto, calm down!" Ignis shouted, but it was as if he were standing a hundred yards away for all his voice seemed to reach Prompto. The sky tilted dangerously.

"Shit, Iggy, catch him–!"

The last thing Prompto knew was Ignis's shocked face as he reached out to catch him, but he couldn't quite pay attention to that because he was staring into the sky beyond him.

Where he was positive he met the startled eyes of someone else. The world went dark.

-o0o-

Complete silence filled the room as the TV blacked out, the power flickering on and off rapidly before settling once more. A mere second passed before the monitor eased back to life with all the grace of modern design, the PC booting back up as if nothing untoward had happened whatsoever, cool music announcing its willingness to accommodate its user's every whim.

Jason Cruz slowly lowered the controller in his shaking hands, it's smooth design feeling slick in his too moist hands. Carefully placing it on the coffee table as if it were a snake about to bite him, he covered his face with his now vacant hands, slumping forward. Black hair fell over his peripherals, blocking out the rest of the room as his heart hammered in his ears rapidly, the rush of it drowning out the pleasant music of his home screen.

That...he didn't know what that was. 'Unsettling' came to mind, or perhaps 'shocking' was more appropriate. Yes, it was definitely that. Was that real? Was he still awake?

Not much felt certain at the moment, but there were three things he knew for sure; video games weren't real, he was one hundred percent stone cold sober...and he just met the cognizant and _completely aware_ eyes of Prompto Argentum.

-o0o-

 _AN: Yeah, I have no idea where this came from. I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual fandom for my health and was blindsided by this vicious plot bunny. I'm being held hostage, I swear! Anyway, I hope I got Prompto's voice right. He's kind of different from my usual, so here's to trying. 'Bleeps and Bloops' is a playlist I like to listen to while playing FFXV, and for some reason, I think Prompto would like it._

 _Interested? Completely bored and want to kick me back to my usual fandom? Let me know!_


	2. Real?

Awareness came like a cold splash of water, the world intruding violently in a sudden wave of light and sound, and the young man came awake with a quiet gasp. He narrowed his eyes in pain as his heartbeat slammed through his ribcage, the jolt of adrenaline disorienting in the quiet morning.

Jason groaned long and loud before rolling onto his side and burying his face in the covers of his bed, resolutely blocking out the light. What the hell? He felt like he had gone three rounds with Master Diaz without gear, every joint in his body aching as if with fever. Or he got pounded the hell out of. It happened pretty frequently.

Except that he hadn't been training yesterday. No, instead he had the day off from boot camp and had decided to play his new favorite RPG, with which he commenced to play a full ten hours. It was an indulgence for sure, but it had been a long while since he had had a full day to himself, what with instructing the kids and training for his third degree. In any case he had done nothing to warrant this kind of soreness the day before.

Jason groaned again and levered himself into a sitting position, blinking into his too bright bedroom. Blindly, he reached for the curtains he had clearly forgotten to draw last night and persisted until the room was bathed in pleasant darkness once more, concealing his somewhat messy floor and walls covered in all kinds of posters and photos. It was a collection of interest for him, ranging from places he'd been to tournaments he'd won, and probably more prevalent was the fanart of his favorite games and various strange paintings he'd found in his wanderings around the rather eclectic downtown Austin. He was proud of his collection, sure, but at the moment all of the bright colors and images were making him nauseous.

Jason glanced over at his phone to check the time, not even bothering to flick his shoulder length black hair out of his face as it fell into his eyes. He was not surprised to see that it was only seven in the morning, long having resigned himself to the fact that his body wakes early on its own as a result of his active lifestyle, no matter how he wished he could sleep in every-god-damned once in awhile.

"Alleyoop," he mumbled, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and getting to his feet. For several seconds, the room spun and he had to force himself to stay standing. "God, what did I _do_ yesterday? I'm pretty sure I just sat on my ass and…." He trailed off, eyes widening as memories of the previous day make it through his muddled sleepiness.

"Oh…" he whispered.

Trepidation spiked through him forcefully, Jason completely forgetting about his exhaustion in lieu of the memory of piercing blue eyes that unerringly found his own the night before.

That hadn't been real. It _couldn't_ have been. That's it, it must have been some sort of strange dream. He just fell asleep, must have, and dreamed the whole thing up. With long strides, Jason easily maneuvered around the piles of clothes and random odds and ends covering his floor and directly into the living room of his small studio apartment. There, sitting innocuously as ever, was his rather impressive gaming setup. In an antithesis to the rest of the apartment, his entertainment center was meticulously organized; large seventy-two inch TV standing proudly at the top, several gaming consoles from all eras stacked atop one another, their cords all sincheded together and hidden out of sight. And of course, his pride and joy, the PC he built himself, its tall black tower standing stoutly beside the subwoofer. The wall next to it held a shelf filled to the brim with all manner of games he'd been collecting since he was a kid. His large second-hand couch and coffee table...weren't so organized. Half-full box of old pizza, crumpled up napkins shoved in coffee mugs and a nest of blankets and cushions lying haphazardly in the corner. Everything looked exactly as he left it the night before.

Suddenly he felt silly. Of _course_ that didn't happen. Video game characters did not just suddenly gain awareness and stare down gamers. That was just ridiculous. As if to prove it to himself, Jason flopped onto his couch, long wired limbs sprawling, and flicked out his phone to turn on his systems. Right before he brought himself to hit the power icon on his custom app, he froze. Something in his gut was sending him warning sign after warning sign. Don't do it, man, it said, and Jason didn't usually ignore his gut feelings…

 _BEEPBEEPBEEP. BEEPBEEPBEEP._

Jason yelped and practically threw his phone across the room as the alarm went off, shattering the quiet with an obnoxious jingle and nearly making him piss his pants. "Don't _do_ that to me dammit!" He shouted at his unrepentant phone where it landed in a mess of pillows across the room. With a dramatic sigh at himself for being a wuss, he trudged over to his phone and shut the alarm off, wondering why he even bothered having one when he was usually up before it. He guessed he just needed that adrenaline rush in the mornings, or maybe he was a glutton for punishment.

"Whatever," he mumbled, staring at the time. He would need to be into the dojo in about an hour. It was Saturday, so it should only be a half day; bootcamp in the morning and no kid's classes to teach till Monday. Still, his aches and pains made themselves known once more, and he wondered not for the first time why he chose such a physical job instead of that cushy desk job his father offered him several years ago. Oh right, because he was allergic to formal clothes and bureaucracy. Go figure.

A particularly harsh throb in his lower back made interupted his stupid thought process and he sighed again. Looked like he wouldn't be able to train today in any case. He quickly opened his contacts and hit speed dial. He didn't really need to call, as boot camp wasn't really a part of his job, just a thing he had to do to achieve the next rank, but he always felt guilty when he skipped. Something about training at that dojo since he was a kid made him feel like he was part of Master Diaz's family. Also, the man would bother him if he didn't. The phone rang several times before it clicked.

His own voice echoed out of the receiver, sounding huskier and lower than it did to him usually. Why did people's voices always sound so odd on the phone? It was drowned out by Jason's almost audible eyeroll. "Hey, thanks for calling Diaz Martial Arts!" the recording played perkily. "We are on the mat right now, so please leave your name and number–" Jason hung up. Instead he thumbed open his text app.

 _MastaJason: Yo ASHLEY! Tell master D I wont be in today. Gotta bitch headache._

 _MommaAshley: Ya sure you do. You just want another day off. Lazy._

Jason snorted in amusement, not surprised that his co-worker was giving him grief.

 _MastaJason: dont SMACK TALK ME woman! Why arnt you at the desk anyway I tried to call._

 _MommaAshley: I dont need to smack talk you, Ill let the floor do it for me when I make you EAT IT monday. And Im not at the desk because tyler has a stomach ache and Im at home cleaning his mess._

Jason winced. Again? Ashley's son didn't have a weak constitution by any means, but he'd thought the kid had gotten over this bug. It's been weeks. But that only meant one thing. Jason grumbled and resigned himself to the fact that Diaz would be harassing him for missing on Monday.

 _MastaJason: alriiiight dont get ur thong in a twist ho! Ill deal~_

 _MommaAshley: you better. C u monday._

Jason stared down at his phone for several seconds. Well, that was that. His eyes flickered over to the dark TV, a sliver of trepidation worming up his spine. He didn't know whether yesterday was real or not, but he knew he wouldn't rest until he found out. Once again, he thumbed open his control app and his darkly tanned thumb hovered over the power button. The memory of impossibly blue eyes made him frown and he resolutely pushed it. It might have been real, might not've. But there was only one way to find out.

Jason's systems hummed to life and he grabbed his controller, shoving his pillows aside and leaning back as the TV flickered on.

-o0o-

Prompto woke slowly, blonde lashes fluttering open. For a moment he was confused, staring into the complete darkness before his eyes adjusted to the very faint light of early dawn. He shivered in the early desert chill and automatically scooched backwards, instinctively moving towards the heat of one of his friends sleeping at his back. He hit a solid wall–Gladio then– and hummed in contentment as the shield's naturally high temperature warmed him from head to toe. He could hear Gladio's snores and Noctis' quiet breaths mingling and figured that Ignis must already be up.

The blonde curled into himself as he contemplated the events of the previous day, a small sting of anxiety waking him further.

That actually happened. Well, at least he was sure that some of it did. That last part was a bit nuts, but as for the rest; his friends' memories being jacked, Noctis acting weird, that _song_. That stuff...yeah. He whined, high pitched and drawn out, curling his arms over his drawn knees. "It's not real, It's not real...come on Prompto, get it together."

"Prompto?" Ignis' voice interrupted his small crisis from outside the tent. "Are you awake?"

"Y-yeah. I'll be out in a sec," he said, Gladio snorting beside him as he moved away but not waking. A violent shiver tore down his spine and he frowned in confusion, looking down at himself. A blush rose furiously on his face as he realized he was in his chocobo pajama pants and little else. For a second his heart seized, hand snapping to his wrist, but his armband was still there, untouched. He sighed in relief. At least they knew not to touch that. The guys must have changed him after he...ah….fell asleep. He hastily snatched up his sleeping bag in an absurd effort to cover his bare torso, which was dumb because for one thing, no one was looking, and for another, they totally would have seen him last night anyway. Another whine built in the back of his throat but he ruthlessly pushed it down along with his lingering embarrassment. Nothing to be ashamed of, he told himself as always. They had all seen each other without clothes at one point or another. But his ingrained self consciousness was not something so easily brushed off. Noct had been trying for years to tell him that no, his stretch marks were not that noticeable, and yes, he did look great with his shirt off, so quit covering up like a damned shy virgin girl, Prompto. A small smile tugged at his lips as his inner monologue sounded just like Noctis. Still, he felt loads better once he was fully clothed.

Prompto stepped out of the tent, glancing at the glowing horizon before walking hesitantly over to Ignis. The older man was dressed impeccably as always in his full Crownsguard fatigues. Well, as impeccable as one could be after spending days in the desert without bathing. Prompto knew he would shed those layers once the sun really got started. Or maybe not, since they'd probably be spending a good deal of time underground today. Prompto sighed at the thought.

"Good morning," Ignis said, looking away from the camp stove. He might have been dressed, but his dark blonde hair had yet to be styled, resting softly against his brow. A steaming kettle of Ebony was warming on the flame, wafting the bitter aroma of the advisor's favorite drink about the camp. Prompto wasn't a fan of coffee himself–it made him jittery and anxious– but his long association with the resident coffee addict had made him at least appreciate the smell. It was one of the scents he unerringly associated with home, and at the moment, this small normality comforted him. "Are you feeling better?" Ignis asked gently, face carefully neutral of the concern Prompto knew was just beneath the surface.

"Yeah," he sighed, even though it wasn't true. "Sorry about yesterday. I guess I was just stressed out. All this monster fighting, ya'know?" He avoided Ignis' acid green gaze, staring into the sunset instead. He didn't feel right lying to Iggy, but well...after last night, he knew this was something he would have to deal with on his own. Whatever 'this' was, none of his friends were noticing it. He sighed again before plastering a grin on his face. "So what's for breakfast?"

Ignis was silent for a few more seconds, clearly not buying it, but he seemed to put it aside for now. "I believe we still have some eggs and some gighee ham in our inventory, if you would be so kind as to grab the grocery bag out of the tent."

"You got it, Iggy!" Prompto enthused, bouncing back to the tent, not even having to fake it this time. If he loved anything in this world, it was Ignis' ham omelets, no doubt. He crawled into the small tent to see Gladio already up and alert, poking at his phone, one arm rested on a bent knee. "Mornin' big guy!"

"'Sup," Gladio said, barely glancing at Prompto before going back to whatever he was doing. With a shrug Prompto crawled over a still slumbering Noctis and grabbed the grocery bag from behind him, the prince not even stirring as he was jostled. The blonde looked down at Noct before promptly announcing "Not it!" and bolting from the tent. Gladio grumbled and threw a pillow at his retreating back, resigning himself to Noctis Wake Up Duty.

With a chuckle, Prompto brought the requested bag to Ignis and then commenced to hover around the stove and pester him until the food was done.

-o0o-

A few hours later and Prompto was _miserable._ The Balouve Mines were just as creepy and awful as the name suggested. And the worst part was that they didn't even need to _be_ here. The part they were looking for was _literally_ right beside the entrance. They could have just grabbed it and left. But nooo, Noctis had to be all _adventurous_ and lead them all onto some ancient elevator that could fall at any second and plunge them down into the depths never to be seen again! And then there were the monsters!

Prompto squeaked as yet another loud bang echoed from somewhere down the tracks, shoulders impossibly tense. They had been ambushed no less than seven times by those creepy little goblin things and this was _not_ his idea of a good time. "Let's go down the creepy elevator shaft, he said. It will be fiiiiine, he said," Prompto whined.

"Quit bitching," Gladio rolled his eyes. "They're just goblins."

"Easy for you to say! You're huge! They see me and they're like 'oh look, free meal'! Ah!" Prompto shouted as they were ambushed _yet again_. Caught by surprise, he summoned his gun and blasted the little devil right out of the air mid jump. Unfortunately, he wasn't prepared for the second enemy that tore into his back, launching him forward.

"Of all the–" Gladio growled, grabbing the monster by the neck and heaving it across the battle into ignis' waiting blades. He snatched the flailing Prompto from the ground by his collar and pulled him close, "On you feet!", before shoving him back into battle.

Face burning, but no time to feel embarrassed, Prompto threw himself back into the fight. He fell unsteadily but surely into his role, dancing out of the enemies' range and picking them off one by one. Gladio stayed in the thick of it, large sword cleaving enemies in two while both Noctis and Ignis used his bulk as a springboard to complement their own acrobatic fighting styles. Noctis usually switched between weapons frequently, but today he seemed to be favoring the spear, the pole in his hands more often than not as he teamed up with Ignis to take down foe after foe.

It was over in minutes, the goblins much weaker than the four combined, no matter how many of their number ambushed them at once. If Prompto wasn't such a wreck, he was pretty sure he could handle them all on his own. With a shaky exhale he dismissed his weapons, the others following suit in quick flashes of blue light.

Prompto stumbled back a step as Gladio marched into his space, furious frown marring his features. "What," he barked, "was that?"

"S-sorry," Prompto shrank into himself beneath the larger man's ire.

"Don't tell me sorry! You need to focus. Whatever's up with you lately, you cannot bring it onto the battlefield. Either get it together or wait at camp!"

Prompto's eyes filled with humiliated tears as Gladio stomped away down the tunnel. He looked down, fists shaking at his sides. He was right, Prompto knew he was. Prompto was there to protect Noctis, the prince, it was his _job_. But all he seemed to be doing lately was fumble around and get into trouble. Some guard he turned out to be. Stupid, stupid….

A gentle hand fell onto his shoulder and he looked up in surprise, Ignis looking down on him with concern. "Don't take it to heart, Prompto. He just worries. We know you haven't been doing this for very long. Give it time."

"Yeah," the young man sniffed, forcing a smile. "I know. Thanks Iggy."

Ignis smiled, just a tiny quirk of his lips. "Here, take this. Those claw marks look nasty." He pressed a small cool object into Prompto's hand and continued on, following the shield into the dark. Prompto looked down into the small bottle in his hands, squeezing it lightly. The thin glass cracked and dissipated in a flash of green light, soothing his aches and pains. With a determined frown, he wiped the tears off his face and squared his shoulders. No more messing around. He just needed to get through this dumb mine and then he could beg Iggy for his favorite food and forget this awful day.

With that in mind, he looked up, ready to move forward. "Gah!" Adrenaline laced painfully in his chest in a wild rush, setting his fingers to pins and needles as he spotted a figure standing stock still a few yards away. "OH," he gasped, "Noct, you scared the wits outta me, man!" He paused. "Noct?"

But Noctis wasn't responding. In fact, he wasn't moving at all. His face was completely blank, just...staring, eyes nearly black in the dim light. Prompto chuckled nervously. "Cut it out, dude, this place is scary enough without you acting all weird." But still he didn't move.

And then the strangest thing happened. Noctis abruptly strode two steps away then pulled a camera out of his arsenal and held it up. Prompto's nervous smile froze in his face as his eyes widened. What? Since when did Noctis have a camera? Since when did Noctis take _pictures_? "N-Noct?!"

The flash of the camera blinded Prompto and he stumbled back with a startled shout, blinking the spots from his eyes. "What the hell, man?!" But when he looked up, Noctis was gone. He glanced around, bewildered and heart racing. Something flickered in the corner of his eye, but before he could spot it, Noctis' voice called from down the tunnel.

"Prompto, come on! I think I found a way back to the surface!"

Prompto's jaw dropped. He sounded completely normal! But. What the hell just happened and how did he get all the way over there?!

"Get a move on!" Gladio's command had Prompto scrambling after his three friends, having no desire to fall behind. He suddenly felt exhausted and he was _so over_ this mine, aching to see the sun again. Whatever was going on, whatever strange thing just happened, he wanted to put it way behind him, thankyouverymuch.

-o0o-

Jason stared down at the photo in his hand, still warm from the printer that just spit it out moments ago. His tanned face was completely blank, and if he had to pin down an emotion at the moment, he would say 'numb'.

Prompto stared back up at him from the glossy rectangle, lighting from the pinlight attached to Noctis' shirt harsh against his pale face. A wavering smile and wide scared eyes, still red from the tear tracks the blonde had wiped away only moments before marred Prompto's usually artificially perfect features. It wasn't only the flaws that were strange about this photo–and there were _many_ things that were odd–but the fact that he looked….too real. Gone was the slightly stylized CGI rendering that Jason was accustomed to seeing. Gone were all those little tells that Prompto wasn't real; the stringy, awkward rendering of his hair, the off lighting that was never quite right despite developers best efforts. No, either this was a clever, _ridiculously_ elaborate hoax or Jason was losing his mind, because the boy in that photo looked just as real as any of the guys he saw regularly in the real world.

He'd watched the whole thing. It wasn't obvious at first that the characters were acting differently. The game had autosaved right after the camp, so he was able to start right where he'd left off. Nothing odd had happened, the three NPCs falling into perfect formation behind Noctis as Jason guided them into the mine. Everyone was acting in character, saying their scripted lines and fighting the same as usual and Jason was almost convinced that he had imagined the whole crazy thing.

That is, until that last fight.

The battle was average, the mobs still weak this early in the game. He didn't even really feel like going any further, since the characters were too weak yet to take on the Aramusha at the end. He figured he'd just finish this fight and head out, pausing the game while he got breakfast.

That didn't go quite the way he'd planned.

He watched as if looking onto an oncoming train wreck as the TV first flickered, then the characters went crazy and started _moving on their own._

Control was seized from his hands as Noctis took on a life of his own, and the most curious sensation ran up and down his spine. He looked down with wide eyes, seeing his fingers moving on their own but not doing a thing to actually command them. And just like that, the fighting style changed before his eyes, Noctis moving in sync with the other three more fluidly than ever before. Physics suddenly seemed to have more weight and reality than possible in the simulated environment. Details that had been missing before were suddenly prevalent, like the heaving of Gladiolus's chest or the black splatter of the goblins' blood over the characters' skin, Ignis tripping on a rock and tearing the knee of his pants before leaping back to his feet...the list goes on. And for the first time he noticed that there were no HUD readings at all, as if he were merely looking through the window to another world.

And then he watched in a daze as Gladio yelled at a trembling Prompto, as Ignis gave him comfort, as Prompto wiped his tears, _none_ of this anything he had seen in his last playthrough just a month ago.

Something still held him prone, but as he watched Gladiolus and Ignis leave the screen, he knew he had to do something to prove he wasn't crazy. He wrenched the controller, something snapping just outside the range of his hearing, and forced Noctis a few feet forward into the face of a nervous Prompto. Flicking on camera mode before the moment was lost he snapped a picture.

The screen went white, or maybe it was his vision, because the next thing he knew a surge of electricity jolted through his arms.

When he came too several minutes (he thought?) later, he was on the floor, limbs shaking and utterly drained of all energy. Jason rolled his head to the side, black hair sticking to the sweat on his face and neck, and stared into the TV.

Completely normal. HUD in place, characters standing idly in formation, waiting for him to command them.

It had been several hours since then, but the picture in his hand refused to change. Yeah. This was real. _Prompto_ was real, unless he truly was just crazy. With a shaking hand, Jason set the photo gingerly on his coffee table. He stood, swaying still from that inexplicable exhaustion, and grabbed his keys. Stumbling through the door, he fled his apartment. He didn't know where he was going, but anywhere was better than in trapped in the gaze of those frightened blue eyes.

-o0o-

 _Jason is based off one of my friends IRL. We go to the same martial arts school together where he is actually an instructor, and yes, he really does text like that haha. All of the characters from Jason's world will be based off actual people I know, and I might even show up a time or two, but I won't be a main character by any means. Wonder if anyone will be able to guess which one is me..._

 _If anyone wants a clearer picture in their heads, we always joke that he looks just like Aladdin with longer hair. Maybe a bit taller._

 _Anyway I am having a hell of a good time with this concept, I think I might be in love. This is going to be fun! See you next time!_


	3. Breakdown

The next day Prompto could easily say was one of the most bizarre of his life. And considering the past couple weeks...that was saying something.

He woke slowly, dawn casting him in green light as it filtered through the tent walls. It wasn't yet stiflingly hot, so he felt comfortable beneath his blanket and nestled against the warm body behind him. Halfway tempted, he almost allowed himself to slip back into dreamland, but no matter how groggy he felt there was something in Prompto that never quite let him do it; some inner desire to make the most of every waking moment.

Well, that was a craving he would never feel guilty about giving into. And was that breakfast he smelled? Definitely food, yep, what was he still doing in bed?

With a tiny grin Prompto wiggled out of his sleeping bag–Noctis was splayed out on top of it, dead to the world and trying his best to trap Prompto beneath him, but to no avail!–and scrubbed the sleep from his baby blues. Combing his fingers through his hair and wincing as it tugged with old hair gel, he surveyed the tent. And immediately bit his lip to stifle a loud bark of laughter.

"Pf. How even–wait, wait, hold on, I got this!" Scrambling to his pack, Prompto dug out his trusty camera, a longtime friend and companion. Taking a split second to adjust the lense for the dim lighting, Prompto snapped a photo. He lowered the camera, scooched closer, then snapped another. Gotta get it right after all. Before he could wake the two slumbering men and ruin it, he looped the camera's strap around his neck, grabbed his pack and climbed from the tent, tripping slightly on the way out.

Carefully zipping the tent closed once more, he hastily moved a few feet away, staring down at the little screen and biting his lip hard in an effort to keep quiet. Oh, yes, he was _so_ using this for leverage later.

"Well now, you look bright and bushy tailed this morning." Ignis looked over the rim of his coffee mug, steam fogging his glasses somewhat as he regarded the excited blond from his relaxed position in his usual sling chair. Something fantastic smelling simmered on the stove not a few feet away, but Prompto didn't have any attention to spare for it at the moment.

"Ignis!" Prompto's smile only got brighter as he bounced over to his favorite cook. "You would not _believe_ what I just got a shot of."

"Oh, I can imagine," Ignis smirked, bringing the coffee to his thin lips and taking a sip. Prompto faltered, momentarily distracted by that devilish expression. Iggy should really patent that look. With the stove in the background he set a pretty picture of one of those cooking magazines girls were crazy about. Without thinking too much about it, the blonde lifted the camera once more and snapped a shot. Shaking his head in amusement, Ignis deadpanned, "Did you get my good side?"

Prompto checked. Ignis looked a bit sleep mussed–days old clothes rumpled, hair disheveled artfully in that 'just ran his fingers through it' kinda way– and still managed to look like he walked off the cover of a magazine. He chuckled. "Iggy, you don't _have_ a bad side."

Ignis's smirk twitched, the stoic man's expression threatening to turn into a true smile, but he held it back in favor of another sip of coffee. "So what was this photo you were so eager to show me?"

"Oh yeah!" Set back on track, the blond bounced the last few feet to the advisor's side and flipped back a couple images. "I'm pretty sure I've discovered Gladio's secret fetish." Ignis' small chuckle warmed Prompto from the inside out as the older man inspected the image.

It was no secret among the four that Gladiolus was a cuddler. Not only that, but he tended to shift quite a bit in his sleep. It would wake and annoy Prompto and Ignis at first–Noctis never noticed–but Prompto quickly became accustomed to it and even comforted by the little shifts. It made him feel safe to be reminded that Gladio was there. Many a night one or two of them inevitably ended up tangled in his long limbs in one way or another.

This though… this took the cake. Noctis lay in his usual sleeping position, flat on his stomach with limbs stretched haphazardly every which way, clinging to anything below him like a baby koala bear–in other words, Prompto's sleeping bag. He wondered if he would ever get that back. The prince's face was turned to the side, completely oblivious to all goings on in the world outside of his dreams. Prompto couldn't decide if he ever felt envious of Noctis' ability to sleep like the dead, or really, _really_ not. There was nothing odd about that image at all, but Gladiolus was another story. Somehow he had managed to flip himself over so that he was facing the opposite direction. His body was sprawled longways across the tent, hips jutting backwards, but as usual he had gravitated towards the closest body heat, long arms holding Noct's leg captive. While ridiculous in itself, what completed the picture was Gladio's face, blissed out in sleep, resting on the sole of Noct's foot as if there was nowhere in Eos he would rather be.

"I'm calling it 'Gladio's Spiritual Awakening: Foot Fetish Edition'," Prompto quipped, rewarded by Ignis' half choked chortle. Ah, it was the little things in life; making Ignis laugh, taking humiliating photos of his friends, blackmailing them later...yes, the little things.

"What's so funny?"

Fast as lightning, Prompto's camera was behind his back, innocent smile plastered on his face. Gladio looked between the two of them as he stepped away from the tent, leaving it open in the vain hopes that Noctis would wake on his own. With no answer forthcoming, either from Ignis as he moved to check on the food, pointedly not looking in Gladio's direction, or the goofball who could not stop grinning at him while he bounced in place, Gladio decided he was too groggy to care. With a shrug, he rolled his bare shoulders in the early morning chill and dragged his bag from the small tent, rooting around to grab a pair of jeans and a tank top. As he pulled them on, jumping slightly to get those tight pants over his considerable thighs, Prompto made a strategic retreat behind the tent to change into his own clothes, small giggles threatening to burst forth at any moment.

He was just pulling on his favorite red shirt when a tap to the shoulder startled him. Turning abruptly, he came face to face with Gladio's...chest. He looked up directly into a scowling face, and took a slight step backward. "Hey, big guy," Prompto stuttered, nervous at the frown turned in his direction. At first he thought it might be about the photo, but something serious in the larger man's eyes belied that thought.

Gladio shifted, crossing his large arms over his chest, and regarded Prompto's nervous shuffling. "You doing alright?"

"What do you mean?" Prompto forced himself to look into the other man's eyes. His face flushed as he remembered the day before in the Balouve Mines, how he had gotten distracted instead of doing his duty. And Gladio yelling at him. Yeah, that wasn't fun. Prompto's smile faltered and his eyes flickered away, good mood draining right out of him.

A heavy sigh made him flinch infinitesimally, and before he could react, Gladio's big hand was ruffling his hair roughly. "Wha–hey!" Prompto protested, swatting Gladio's hand with a laugh.

"That right there, is what I meant," Gladio rumbled. "It wasn't just yesterday. You've been down since we left." Prompto grunted, trying to get his hair back into some semblance of order. Not that it had been any good for days, but Gladiolus's impromptu hair styling didn't help matters much. "You know you can talk to us about anything right?"

Prompto paused in his fussing, giving Gladiolus a long look. If that earnest expression on his scarred face was anything to go by, the man had been thinking on this for a while. Prompto and Gladio hadn't known each other as long as the others, but that didn't make their connection any less strong. And with the shield's overprotective nature as it was, Prompto couldn't help feel equal parts flattered and uncomfortable to be within the man's intense regard. He settled on being flattered for the time being and gave him a smile. "I know that," he said, and he did. It's just. Well, he tried to talk to Iggy and Gladio before about all of this strangeness, and they had acted like nothing at all was going on. Maybe they were just messing with him...but no. Prompto would like to think that he knew these three better than anyone else, just as they knew him. If they weren't noticing anything, then it meant that they really weren't.

Which meant talking about it would help...absolutely nothing. Prompto just resolved to hide it better. He felt a familiar pang of loneliness in his chest, the one he always felt when he added to the ever growing bundle of secrets he held, but pushed it away.

Several seconds passed as Gladio continued to stare, and with a jolt, Prompto realized he was waiting for him to answer. "Ah! Um–so, you need some extra weight for your reps, bug guy?"

Gladiolus pursed his lips, but thankfully didn't pursue it any further. "Nah, I think I'll take a run this morning."

Inwardly, Prompto sighed in relief, though he didn't allow it to show on his face as Gladiolus walked away towards the edge of the haven and down the side. Usually, he would have offered to join him, as running was one of his favorite pastimes besides Kingsnight and hanging with his best buddies. But he was feeling a little shaken by the exchange. He wasn't quite sure he could handle any more of Gladios concern at the moment. Still, he couldn't help but feel just a little warm inside, that small giddiness bringing the smile back to his face. Being cared for was nice, and still something Prompto found himself getting used to, even after all this time.

Mood restored, Prompto slung his bag back inside the tent, gleefully ignoring the startled grunt from his still snoozing best friend, and sauntered back over to Ignis, who was just putting the finishing touches on breakfast. "Hey Iggy, whatcha making? Smells great!"

Ignis turned off the grill and stirred the contents of his cooking pot once more before beginning to shuffle around the camp dishware. Without looking up, he responded, "Just a basic stew, I'm afraid. We've rather run out of fresh ingredients, so we'll have to stock up at an outpost soon."

Prompto hummed, inhaling the delicious scent in delight. It wasn't anything he recognized, looking like just a bunch of random stuff they had left, but if Iggy had a hand in it, it was probably delicious. He wasn't surprised they would have to stock up, really. After all, none of them had expected to get stuck out here for so long. "I'm sure it's great!"

Wordlessly, Ignis handed Prompto the dishware. "I'm going to try and wake the prince. Do make us a serving, would you?"

"You got it, boss man." Prompto cheerily did as he was told as Ignis turned to go do just that.

"Ah," Ignis paused.

"Ugh, Prompto, your bag reeks. Did you have to throw it at my _face_?" Noct's dulcet tones came from the direction of the tent and Prompto snickered into his task. Looks like Iggy wouldn't have to wake Noctis after all.

"That _so_ counts as my turn," Prompto declared, keeping his eyes on the ladle as he served himself an extra large helping of stew, referring to the way the guys took turns waking Noctis each day. It wasn't an enviable task by any means. A disbelieving snort was all Ignis replied with, and somehow Prompto was certain it would still be his turn the next day.

"Not likely." Yep, that's what he thought.

"Aw, come on Iggy, it worked, didn't–" Prompto froze, halfway turned towards Ignis. Several expressions crossed his face at once as he took in the sight of his best friend. Noctis was standing by the tent, shoulders slouched and blinking owlishly into the bright morning. Still clearly half asleep, he stumbled over towards his favorite camp chair and slumped into it with a sigh, not having noticed Prompto's abrupt halt. He didn't even look up as the bowl of stew Prompto held clattered to the ground, spilling all over the place.

Ignis, however, did. He peered into the younger man's face, concerned. Prompto barely spared him a glance, too shocked to do much to hide his reaction. A half laugh, half strangled whine was pulled from Prompto's throat as he covered his eyes with one hand and then looked up quickly again, as if trying to make sure what he was seeing wasn't some sort of illusion. Ignis looked between the blond and the prince, brow furrowed in confusion. There wasn't anything notable about Noctis' appearance this morning, and yet, Prompto's face cycled between hilarity, concern and what looked alarmingly like nausea. "Prompto?"

"Ah, um," Prompto swallowed hard, expression not quite deciding between a manic grin and outright panic. "Ignis, is...is Noctis wearing a sombrero?"

Ignis' eyebrow climbed his forehead slowly until it rested somewhere between the roads 'This Person is Insane' and 'It's Too Early in the Morning for This'. He scanned his liege, seeing that, yes, he still was wearing a baggy white t-shirt and filthy jeans, and no, he did not have a sombrero on his head. Prompto's mouth seemed to be working overtime, opening and closing like a fish out of water, but no sound other than a strangled whine made its way past his lips. Then, "Youuuuu don't see it, do you."

A statement. Yet Ignis answered regardless. "I'm afraid not." When Prompto didn't move for several more seconds, Ignis gently guided the young man over to his usual seat and handed him some breakfast. With a sympathetic pat to the man's shoulders, Ignis handed his dozing Highness his own bowl before grabbing the other and wandering to the edge of camp, where Gladiolus lounged after his short run. Whatever was bothering Prompto, he hoped he would come forward with it soon. His stress was clearly making him see things.

Prompto didn't notice Ignis leave the immediate area because he was _freaking out_. The only thing he could see was his best freind in front of him wearing a full mariachi uniform. _A mariachi uniform._ With a little red sash and a jacket and everything. And a sombrero! _And Ignis couldn't see it._

Noctis, for his part, was completely oblivious to his friend's turmoil. His black lashes finally fluttered open when the heavenly smell from the bowl balancing precariously on his knee made its way into his awareness. He grabbed the spoon from the liquid and began picking through it, selecting only the parts he liked. A small smile made its way lazily to his the prince's thin lips when he snagged a piece of meat. He blinked and met Prompto's eyes for the first time. He blinked again, spoon still hanging from his mouth, frozen in place.

 _Oh gods_ , Prompto thought frantically, _I am totally insane_. Ignis has to be having a go at him, there's just no way–cutting off his own ramblings, he jerked around for his camera and snapped a shot faster than Noctis could react. Prompto stared down at the screen. Then stared at Noctis. Rinse and repeat, and yet, the image still didn't change. The Noctis in the little screen was definitely not wearing a giant flamboyant hat, and yet...Yep, the Noct in reality most definitely _was_. Reality? Pft. What's that? Prompto wasn't sure he knew anymore.

"Is there something on my face?" Noctis asked slowly, starting to feel self conscious under his best friend's uncharacteristic scrutiny. He was wearing pants, right? He had remembered to put those on this morning? Yep, there they were. So why was Prompto looking at him like that?

Prompto slowly lowered his camera. Then he went a step further and flicked it off. "Noct, buddy, I'm about to ask you a _very serious_ question. You have to be completely honest, or I swear I will lose my shit."

"...Yeah?" Noctis didn't think he'd ever seen Prompto this serious since that one time in high school when Noctis nearly got kidnapped as they left the arcade. His blond eyebrows were drawn together and everything.

"Are you...wearing a mariachi outfit?"

"..."

"..."

Noctis sat back with a huff that turned into a disbelieving laugh. "Astrals, Prom, you had me going there for a second. I thought you were about to tell me that you had a terminal illness or something."

A myriad of expressions crossed Prompto's face before he seemed to settle on a strained smile. "Ah...haha, yeah, I'm just joshing you, dude. G-good one, right? I'm just going to go...water my….lettuce...yeah." Prompto got to his feet and wandered away, leaving a confused prince to ponder just what the hell happened.

Prompto nearly made it, too, but a strong hand fell onto his shoulder. He looked up with listless eyes.

"Where do you think you're going, blondie?" Gladio asked, raising a brow. Ignis stepped up beside him and even Noctis abandoned his meal and approached.

"To water his lettuce, apparently," Noctis supplied dryly, not even trying to hide the concerned tilt of his chin. Ignis and Gladio exchanged glances over his head.

OOOOoooh geeze. Prompto could feel his heart racing in his chest as he found himself surrounded by the three. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, he narrowly avoided passing out like last time, but it was a close thing. Yay, anxiety attack. Just what he needed on top of everything else. Maybe he could blame it on the heat and just pass out for a little–no! No easy way out, you can handle it. It's okay, Prompto, you trust these guys more than anyone else in the world! Nothing supernatural is going on, it's all fiiiine. Watery blue eyes landed on Noctis, who looked very concerned underneath his ridiculous hat. Yup. Nothing weird going on at all.

With a look, Ignis sent the other two a few paces back. Gladio merely nodded, wordlessly beginning to pack their gear. "C'mon, princess. We've got to get a move on."

Noctis hesitated for a split second, wanting to comfort his friend, but really not knowing how. He always had been bad at this sort of thing. A small shake of Ignis' head was the final push he needed to back off, joining Gladio sullenly.

Ignis opened his mouth, brows already drawn together questioningly, but something in Prompto's face had him hesitating. Finally, with an imperceptible breath, he merely said, "After yesterday's trip into the mine, we have enough funds to pay for the car repairs. If we leave promptly, we should just make it to hammerhead before nightfall." He said it loud enough to make it clear he was addressing all three, but the gentle hand rubbing small circles into Prompto's lower back was all for him. The blond's face flushed in embarrassment, even as he felt himself calm. Luckily, neither Noctis or Gladiolus were looking in his direction.

"Got it," Noct responded.

"Finally. I swear it feels like we've been out here for weeks."

 _You don't know the half of it, big guy,_ Prompto thought. Ignis patted Prompto's shoulder once more as his somewhat labored breathing calmed, then ushered the younger man over to the stove to help him tidy up before they moved out.

-o0o-

An hour later and they were on the road once more. At that point Prompto had sufficiently pushed down all doubts and settled into a willing suspension of disbelief for his sanity, so he was quite capable of acting normal.

Even though Noctis was still wearing a sombrero. But hey, nobody's perfect.

With several smiles, cracked jokes, and forceful doses of 'I'm pretending this morning never happened,' he was able to convince the guys that yes, he was fine, and no, he's not certifiably insane.

Yet.

But even if Prompto was forcing himself to act as usual, Noctis, it seemed, had dropped all pretenses of being normal.

He started doing things. Strange things. Well, stranger than he had already been acting. It started small, like, as they were walking he would suddenly veer off and pick up some random piece of junk. Now, ever since they left Insomnia they've been trying to collect money and valuables they could sell, but a rusted nail? An old banknote that looked like a beast had chewed through it? A _tiny feather?_ That _can't_ be worth anything, and besides, Iggy just told them they didn't even need any more cash, so what gives?

Wait, was that a chocobo feather? Stop it, not important! Focus Prom!

It was like his friend suddenly turned into a magpie or something. But that wasn't the only strange thing. Prompto wasn't sure if it was just him, but he could _swear_ they were taking the long way around. He might not be the most directionally savvy dude to ever walk Eos, but he was pretty certain they were going too far east to even get anywhere near Hammerhead. And as if he was trying to make this journey take as long as physically possible, Noctis had gotten it into his head to challenge every beast that happened to cross their paths, whether it was self defense–like a sabertooth pack attacking–or just a few passing spiracorns minding their own business, eating grass or whatever. Oh, you guys wanted to munch on these bushes? Too bad! Prince Noctis is coming vaguely in your general direction and there's not enough desert for the both of you!

And if that wasn't enough, Gladio and Ignis were acting off their rockers as well. Because neither one of them made a comment, not one single word, about this nonsense. Not that Prompto was saying anything either, because he had just gotten Ignis to stop looking at him like he was about to spontaneously combust, but. Well, it was weird, okay! Noon came and went, and Iggy never called for a stop to get them all something to eat. Gladio didn't make a fuss when Noct jogged off in some random other direction yet again. The only comment either of them said at all was about the damn _weather_.

The sun beat down harshly on all four as the day went on, but it only seemed like Prompto was affected. His face was hot, he felt dehydrated, his feet positively ached from all of the constant running, but the other three seemed if anything, more perfect than usual. Even their sweat looked airbrushed on or something, and none of them looked as tired as he felt. Now maybe Prompto blinked a little too hard, but he was certain that none of them had even combed their hair an hour ago, much less washed and perfectly styled it.

The world started getting a little fuzzy around the edges, everything starting to look a little...off to the beleaguered blond. Okay. He needed some rest. And water. And most of all, he needed his friends to stop _running_. Still, he didn't say a word.

Finally, _finally_ , Noctis halted. Prompto nearly collapsed where he stood underneath a nearby tree as the other three just kind of stood there like they hadn't just spent the entire day running around _completely randomly_. Something was roiling in Prompto's gut, something that was an awful mix of anxiety, fear and frustration, an entirely unpleasant mix. His vision was flickering, switching back and forth. For one moment, everything looked perfectly normal and as it should, and another it looked...off in some way he couldn't even define. With a tired whine, he forced his eyes shut and tried to breathe. This time, he wasn't even getting so much as a glance from Gladio and Ignis, who were just staring into the darkening sky like no one was at home upstairs. And Noct, he was just standing there staring at Prompto, just like he had in the Balouve Mines right before things went all pear shaped.

"The sun's called it day," Ignis said, and Prompto actually flinched in surprise. "Best figure out our lodgings for the night."

"WHAT!" Prompto wasn't quite sure, but he was pretty certain he felt something snap in his head. Probably his sanity. He spoke for the first time in hours, his voice little more than a high pitched rasp. "I thought we were going to Hammerhead?!" Ignis didn't respond. "Iggy? Ignis?!" He looked around into the completely featureless–and garage-less– landscape. "Gladio?!" No response.

Noctis was doing that thing again, that blank stare, and Prompto was _done_. There was a high buzzing in his ear, but he was too distracted by his own panic to notice it. He marched up to his best friend who he didn't think he even _knew_ anymore, and took his shoulders forcefully to look into his glassy eyes. "Noctis! What is going on? Noctis? Buddy? Talk to me here!" But he only stared. The buzzing got louder, started to take on more tones in his head, almost like someone shouting, but Prompto shook it off in favor of slapping the prince in the face several times. Their pin lights came on automatically as the last sliver of the sun went past the horizon, but Prompto didn't notice.

"Come on buddy, this isn't you! The Noctis I know wouldn't lead us randomly into the desert, wouldn't fight innocent animals for no reason–" the buzzing was becoming unbearable and almost painful in his head, " _wouldn't NOT complain about missing lunch–_ "

"–because I'm not Noctis!" Noctis screamed, face contorting and coming more alive than Prompto had seen it since that morning, expression twisted in frustration.

Noctis froze. Prompto froze. Dead silence was suddenly all Prompto could hear besides the two's labored breaths, the buzzing and pressure in his head completely gone. Several moments of shocked silence passed between them, Noctis bent backwards by the force of Prompto's grip, both of them gaping at each other.

"Wha–" Prompto finally uttered, but before either of them could move, there came familiar and terrifying sound of demons emerging from the ether. Both young men spun around, watching in dazed horror as two red giants and a handful of goblins climbed there way out of the ground.

"Oh," Noctis started weakly.

"Shit." Prompto finished.

-o0o-

AN:

Hey guys. That was some ride, huh? Hold onto your seats because it's only going to get weirder.


	4. Breakthrough

The rest of Jason's day was completely normal. No supernatural nonsense, no worries...He was able to forget his troubles and deny anything unnatural had happened at all...

Like hell.

As soon as Jason left his apartment after taking the fateful photograph, he headed straight to the place he felt the most comfortable in this world–besides the dojo, of course. Stonewalls wasn't even open when he arrived, the hour much too early for the nightcrawlers of this oversaturated college town to be on the prowl, and thus, any of the bars to be open. The sun was still high in the sky, but Jason knew the very person he needed would be behind the counter, well on his way to preparing for opening. Damned workaholic. Usually, Jason would be annoyed by the man's tendency to work himself to death, but well...right now, the familiar setting of his favorite hangout would be exactly what he needed.

In a daze, Jason wandered down the worn streets of San Marcos, a small town just south of Austin that was more of a college village than anything else. The university loomed over the town from its place atop the largest hill like some kind of ancient castle, the haphazard collection of old-timey buildings and new condominiums sprawled beneath it in poorly planned mess. The college crowd had long since destroyed the local scene by promptly creating a large demand for alcohol and easy loans, but Jason wasn't complaining. He was still too young yet to care about such things. Though the congested streets could be a hassle–the city wasn't built for its rapidly expanding population–the little-big town suited his bachelor lifestyle just fine.

Before he could blink, it seemed, he was standing in front of the entrance. Guess he spaced out more than he thought, barely remembering the trip there. Next to him was an open porch restaurant and bar, similar to the several others that lined the street. Usually the smell of grilled meat and the lure of pleasant conversation would interest him, as it was a lovely place to spend the evening after all and another place he frequented, but he immediately veered off to the side towards an unmarked door. He banged on it loudly, drawing stares from the people dining, but Jason was too dazed to care much.

After several seconds, he banged on the door again. "Guy, I know you're back there! Let me in!"

Several thumps and curses could be heard from the other side of the door, and Jason rolled his eyes. Guy, the bar's bouncer and live-in, was probably high as a kite right now, 'prepping' for his long night of shunting assholes. Well, too bad.

The door opened abruptly, and sure enough, a wall of smoke carrying the distinct smell of weed wafted out around Jason in a noxious cloud. Jason gave the man that stood in the doorway an unimpressed look, facing down his bloodshot glare with ease. It was a testament to how chill this town was that this loser could blatantly smoke in public every day and the locals–and local police–couldn't give less of a fuck. Ignoring the grumpy frown directed violently at his person, Jason took a long inhale, letting the familiar scent calm him a bit. Man, a hit would really take the edge off right about now...but he was more in a drinking mood, to be honest. Really didn't need potentially-paranoia-inducing hallucinogens at the moment. "Are you going to let me in, or what?"

"What the hell, Jase. It's only," the large man flipped his somewhat greasy blonde hair out of his bloodshot eyes and looked at his phone. He flicked it on with nicotine stained fingers and groaned. "Four in the afternoon." He looked back over his toned shoulder into the darkness behind him, no doubt wishing to return to his rat's nest of a storage room the owner had him in in payment for nightly services.

"Well, just move your fat ass and let me in, and I'll be on my way."

Guy snorted and moved his large girth aside, Jase sliding into the small space at the bottom of the stairwell and sighing in relief to be out of the hot Texas sun. The door closed behind him with the quiet click of a lock, blocking out the outside noise. Guy shouldered past Jason, heading down the small hallway behind the stairs without another word, already seeming fed up with the day, though for him it handn't even started yet.

"Nat?" Jason asked before he could get too far.

"Bar," Guy grunted before promptly slamming the door in Jason's face. Jason shook his head and started heading up the old wooden stairs, steps creaking beneath him as ominously as ever. With almost a sigh of relief, he stepped into the cool air condition of the quiet windowless club. It was still well before opening, and yet the LED's lining the edges of the floor and beneath the long black bar were already on. Jason made his way across the narrow dance floor, the booths lit with their own subtle lighting lining the wall opposite, empty for now. A dark stage sat still and silent at the far end of the room, seeming to sleep before the night's shows would begin.

Nat, Stonewalls' manager, was nowhere in sight at the moment despite what Guy said, so Jason sat himself down on one of the barstools, one of those hard plastic, modern numbers, and laid his head on the cool black surface of the counter. It might have just been the quietness or the comfort of a familiar setting, but Jason already felt better just by being here.

Blue eyes flashed behind his closed lids, causing him to shudder and snap them back open. Here now, in the real world and far from his own apartment, it felt like just a strange dream. But no matter how he wanted to deny it, it had been real. The photo had been proof enough of that. But what did that mean? What even was that? Some kind of interdimensional bullshit from sci-fi movies? Or maybe his console was haunted. Yeah, that sounded just as realistic. He had bought it second hand after all. Maybe some nerd died a horrific death while playing video games. Maybe his parents sold all of his stuff and the kid wanted revenge by messing with whoever owned it next, draining the life-force from them with hallucinations. That would explain the exhaustion, anyway.

Totally plausible.

As Jason sat there, staring out into the bar and thinking, something flashed in the corner of his eye. He straightened, but when he looked, whatever it was was already gone. A small shiver worked its way up Jason's lower back.

"Okay?" Jason draweled. Suddenly the ghost theory wasn't sounding so dumb. He stood up and faced the empty stage, heart racing a little. Another flash had his head jerking to the side, but again, nothing. That same creeping feeling he had experienced when Prompto began acting strange started tingling through his limbs again and he could swear the edges of his vision were shimmering as well. He narrowed his eyes.

"Jase! What are you doing here, man, bar doesn't open till nine!"

Jason jumped a solid foot in the air with a startled yelp as a loud tenor filled the room with a teasing lilt. He whipped around. Nat, a tall man in his early twenties, the same age as Jason, strolled into the bar from a door at the far side of the room. Walking smoothly in his classy shoes and slacks, Nat made his way towards his friend with his trademark smirk ever in place. With his blond hair and blue eyes, the lithe bartender had a classic beauty about him that he used shamelessly in his chosen profession, something that both amused and frustrated Jason in their long acquaintance. Not that Jason had a hard time attracting attention himself, but he always had been a bit awkward around those interested in him, coming off too aloof at times. The ease with which his friend interacted with everyone–as if every single person was worth his time–was something that Jason would never achieve.

But that was neither here nor there. Jason did not feel as relieved as he thought he would seeing his best friend, because as he got closer, his vague resemblance to a certain blonde video game character was making him slightly nauseous. He sat back down with a long groan.

"Whoa, one of those days, huh?" Nat chuckled, taking his place on the other side of the bar. "Can I get you a drink to take the load off?"

"Yeeeees," Jason whined, not even ashamed that he sounded like a total girl. After all, in a bar like this, the last thing you were going to be was judged. That might be part of the reason he loved it so much.

Nat laughed outright, always cheery. "Alright, coming up. Your usual?" Without even waiting for a response, he began shuffling around, the familiar sound of glasses clinking and bottles opening comforting Jason once more. "You'll be sticking around tonight, right?" Nat started conversationally, always one to fill empty silence with chatter. "Lola is performing," he sing-songed.

Jason grinned, not bothering to lift his head. That, right there, was another reason he loved this place so much. Stonewalls, first and foremost, was a gay bar. The first and only one in San Marcos, in fact. In the deep south where the most ultra conservative homophobes lived in vast numbers still to this day, it was quite the step in the progressive direction. When it opened up somewhere in the middle of Nat and Jason's college career, the two had discovered it and fell in love with its quirky, non-judgemental atmosphere, much like most of the college students in town. Both took up jobs there for a time, but Nat was the only one who stayed, Jason finally getting an offer to be a full time instructor. Nat even took over management of the place when the previous owner died suddenly, immediately dropping college in order to keep it open and putting himself deep in the gutter of debt to do so. Still, his enthusiasm for the place kept him, and the bar, afloat to become one of the most popular spots in the area.

Did Jason still, after all these years, think that it was totally ironic that a completely straight womanizer owned a gay bar? Yes. Did it ever bother Jason that he and Nat got hit on by the flamboyant males that frequented the spot on a nightly basis? No, not really. Not when it was so entertaining. Besides, he didn't think there was ever a better place to get free drinks for a dude than a gay bar, something he had thoroughly taken advantage of in the long years before he was legal.

"Tempting," Jason mused, thinking of Lola, the famous drag queen in the Austin-tonio–the nearly unbroken stretch of city between Austin and San Antonio–corridor. She had been one of the reasons this bar became so popular, declaring it one of her favorite places to perform. Jason chuckled to himself, thinking of the nearly seven foot tall queen that would dwarf him on the best of days. But then he frowned, not quite able to let go of his sour mood.

"Alright, spit it out," Nat intoned through is stupidly perfect grin. "What's got you in such hissy?"

"Hissy?" Jason snorted. "You've been hanging out with the queens too long, man."

Nat shrugged. "What can I say. I do love my girls."

"...Yeah, I'm not touching that statement with a six foot pole." Nat blinked expectantly, and Jason rolled his eyes, considering. Should he tell his friend what was going on? The idea had merit until one considered how not-fun it was to be laughed at or looked at like you were the most insane person on the planet. He considered maybe asking if Nat had heard of some strange DLC that had come out recently, but dropped the thought when he remembered that Nat didn't even play videogames anymore. Besides, he had been more into first person shooters than high fantasy stuff. And also, he was pretty sure there wasn't an easy explanation for recent events, in any case.

"Uuuugh," Jason groaned instead of answering. "I don't want to think about it. Can I just get a goddamned driiiiah!"

Jason jerked hard as a jolt went up his spine. What the hell? He looked behind him quickly, wondering if someone had jabbed him with a cattle prod. Nothing there. His brows drew together.

"Dude, are you sure you're okay?" Nat started to sound concerned, sliding a glass of amber liquid into Jason's slack hand. "You're acting like you've seen a ghost."

I just might have, Jason thought, clutching his glass maybe a bit too tight. He lifted the drink and threw it back in two large gulps, unfazed by the sour burn and just needing something to take the edge of this insanity.

"Whoa, slow down! That was two and a half shots!"

But Jason wasn't listening anymore, chocolate eyes flicking paranoid into the shadows of the dark bar. Something was off, something felt strange. And it wasn't just the almost immediate buzz he was feeling from that drink. His limbs were tingling again.

"Jase, maybe yoou shoooould…"

Jason frowned and regarded his friend once more. He was talking slowly, as if to a frightened animal, and Jason already had enough problems without Nat acting like he was crazy (even though he was pretty sure he was), but then his eyes widened in shock. It wasn't only Nat's words that were slowing down, it was everything. Nat was in the process of lifting his arm as if to reach out, but extremely slowly and getting slower. Not only that, but his lips seemed to be forming a word at a snail's pace, expression of concern unnaturally frozen in his blue eyes.

"Nat?" Jason whispered, starting to freak out. He reached out to meet his friend's hand halfway in disbelief but instead cried out and jerked back as another jolt made his spine rigid. With a gasp, he stumbled back from the bar. His vision began shimmering again, and he shook his head left to right to find the source.

"Whatthefuck, whatthefuck, whatthe–" The shadows were moving on their own, and _fuck him_ , but this did not just _happen in real life_. It was when the shadows began blocking the dim light and taking on forms that Jason's adrenaline went into hyper drive. He broke into a run, bolting from the bar and down the stairs, needing to get out. That's right, out into the sun, because he's hallucinating and light always makes things better–

But as he burst from the bar, things did not improve. People were now around him everywhere, but the noise of movement was completely absent, the bright day unnaturally silent and still. With frantic shakes of his head Jason took in all of the nearly frozen people, the dead air, the stationary clouds in the sky.

"Enough," he shouted pointlessly into the air. It echoed back to him strangely in the silence. Suddenly he was more angry than frightened. Prompto. This had all started because of that _stupid_ video game character with his _stupid_ blue eyes that saw Jason in the first place. With a slightly wild growl Jason burst into a sprint, heading for his car and his apartment and his haunted, possessed, _whatever_ , PlayStation. He was going to get to the bottom of this and force that man to fix it!

Back in the bar, Nat blinked, dropping his hand in surprise at the empty room before him. Jason was gone, the only proof he had been there a shattered glass on the floor.

-o0o-

Jason's tires squealed as he navigated the surreal landscapes of his once familiar home. Time seemed nearly frozen everywhere, events happening like molasses; someone dropping a cup on the sidewalk, the liquid suspended, a bird flying over head, seeming to hang from the sky, cars meandering through the suddenly thick air and blocking the roadways. Jason fought to get his breathing under control through his fear and frustration, having to take dangerous and highly illegal routes through the congested streets, that, if time suddenly resumed, would get him and others most likely killed. But he needed to get home now so he could somehow make all of this go away. Finally he skidded his car to a halt in front of his place, throwing himself from the vehicle before it had even fully stopped in his haste. He barely even noticed that as he left contact with it, it slowed and synchronized with the objects around it.

He fumbled with his keys and burst through his door, throwing himself inside and slamming it closed. The apartment was precisely as he left it not an hour before, but as frozen as the rest of the world, motes of dust sparkling suspended in the sunlight filtering through his window.

And most alarmingly, his TV was already on. In shock, Jason walked to his couch and took a seat, staring through what looked like more of a window into the outside than an artificially rendered environment. It was an overview perspective of the camp, the sun slowly rising over the horizon. Time was moving completely normally in the game, proven by Ignis already awake and moving about, making coffee. Just like in his reality, the game seemed to be flickering between its normal stylized appearance and something too unsettlingly real.

Jason took his controller in hand, not quite sure what he was going to do with it. Prompto clearly didn't know what was going on anymore than he did, but somehow he knew it was his fault all of this was happening. He needed to contact him...but how? He thought hard about all of the things that Prompto had noticed lately that he shouldn't be, and especially how things got especially intense when he was the most 'aware'. That was it then. Jason somehow needed to make the situation as videogame-like as possible, and maybe he could break through...or something.

Well, it was the best plan he had. And he knew a good way to start.

Jason giggled somewhat hysterically. He was going to try to break the fourth wall. But in reverse.

With a flick of his thumb, he opened the game menu, shuddering as that strange sensation took over him fully. What popped up on screen was not exactly what he expected, though. Instead, he seemed to zoom into the tent in a blink, vertigo overtaking him as if he had actually moved. When his vision cleared, he found himself hovering over a strange scene.

Prompto was awake, sitting in some seriously ugly chocobo pajamas, biting his lip and taking photos of Noctis and Gladiolus, who were tangled together comically. He was completely oblivious to the foreign presence hovering over him. Disoriented, Jason waited and watched, not finding this situation amusing at all. If anything, he suddenly felt like a totally creepy voyeur. Prompto left. Gladiolus jerked awake a moment later, looking around with his nose wrinkled before following. Noctis still lay dead to the world.

Jason took a deep breath and tried to concentrate. Step one, make Noctis look as ridiculous as possible. He jerked as, without even moving his hands, the options appeared, hovering to the left of Noctis' prone form.

"Okaaay," Jason breathed. He looked down to his controler closely, then back up to the screen, both of which, he discovered, were...off. Hesitantly, he placed the controller back on the coffee table and looked back to the screen. "This is getting freakier by the second." He thought about what he wanted to do, his fingers flicking unconsciously as if he still held the controller, and the menu obediently heeded his commands, the light blue bar highlighting his options. Correct choice selected, Jason waited, the surrealness of the situation settling around him like a numbing blanket.

Noctis looked the same. He twitched a little, but otherwise didn't magically change out of his white tee-shirt and jeans, the guy apparently never bothering to change out of the outfit he wore the day before.

Jason frowned. Did he do something wrong? Not that he knew what the hell he was doing, but...well, somehow he expected that to work. Jason jerked in surprise almost at the exact moment as Noctis as a bag flew from nowhere and landed solidly on the sleeping prince's face.

"What the hell," Noctis grumbled, sitting up and throwing the bag from his person. Jason bit his lip hard as it sounded like he was talking right next to him. As Noctis grumbled about, Jason started to consider maybe trying to change his clothes again, but the screen flickered rapidly. Noctis froze, then in a flash of blue light, pulled something from his armiger. Jason watched in disbelief as the raven man began to pull off his clothes, only to replace them with a flamboyant mariachi outfit.

Well...Jason had wanted that to happen, but he didn't really expect to suddenly feel like some sort of manipulative...thing. He didn't even know. Just that it felt wrong and terribly uncomfortable. He rubbed at his arms self-consciously, looking around his apartment like someone was going to jump out and point a damning finger in his direction. Scrubbing at his black hair until it was a rioting mess and his scalp ached uncomfortably, Jason shook it off. Right, step one commenced. Now...he would just have to go with it.

The next several hours–yes _hours_ , because somehow time had slowed in his own reality to match the game's _whatthefuck_ –were probably the most frustrating of Jason's young life. He tried everything, enduring the terribly uncomfortable back and forth pull of control between himself and Noctis, almost like he was fighting the prince's consciousness because he probably _was_. The game suddenly seemed much more vast than before, the landscape actually taking time to cross. And in that weird in-between where some aspects of the game were still, well, like a game, he pounced on them to get Prompto to notice. But the kid was like a dumb brick, willfully ignoring every strange thing Jason made Noctis do, and with every passing hour Jason could feel that horrible tug stronger and stronger. Reality seemed to be melting around him until the game was all he could see. He started to sweat in the desert sun, feel the dry heat. He heard the noises of nature around him, even that damned song seemed to be intruding in surround sound. Even the couch below him felt like hot gravel.

Jason was getting desperate.

As the sun fell, he lost it. "Oh, come on!" he shouted, digging the palms of his hands into his eyes until bright starbursts of light made his head ache, more than the dehydration, hunger and frustration. "Get a fucking clue!" The characters stopped moving, and Ignis made some inane comment about the sun. Jason wasn't listening. He was too busy having a mental breakdown and rocking back and forth.

So, it seemed, was Prompto. _Finally_.

Jason blinked as Prompto shouted, suddenly dizzyingly finding himself in a standing position. How the hell…? He tried to look around, but found he couldn't. Panic clawed at him as he was suddenly trapped, the same fear reflecting in Prompto's eyes a few paces away.

"I thought we were going to Hammerhead?!" Prompto's voice was frantic, piercing in its fear. "Iggy? Ignis?!" Ignis didn't move "Gladio?!" No response. Jason tried to move, tried to force his voice through, but he couldn't. He was as frozen as the rest of them. In his head, he shouted and shouted, but nothing changed. Dammit! He'd finally gotten the blond to break but he couldn't do anything about it, couldn't cross that final barrier and reach out–!

Then Pronto looked directly at Jason, who would have jerked in shock if he could. "Noct?"

...What? Jason wanted to look left and right, to check if Noctis was standing behind him, but no, those piercing blues were staring directly at _him_. Then Prompto was walking towards him, far closer and more personal than Jason expected to ever get to a fictional character, but there was nothing fictional about the iron bands that wrapped around his upper arms. Goddamn, the scrawny man was stronger than he looked!

"Come on buddy, this isn't you!"

 _I know it isn't! I'm–_

"The Noctis I know wouldn't lead us randomly into the desert–"

 _That's because–_

"Wouldn't fight innocent animals for no reason–"

 _I'm not–!_

 _"Wouldn't NOT complain about missing lunch–"_

Prompto squeezed Jason's arms particularly hard, enough to leave dark bruises in his skin, and something gave. With an almost audible snap, Jason regained control of himself and his voice cracked as he screamed, putting everything he could behind it.

"–because I'm not Noctis!" He screamed into the crazed blond's face. Prompto froze as Jason breathed in short angered gasps. Finally, FINALLY, he had broken through and talked to him!

But wait. Rewind. That….wasn't his voice. He looked around with his suddenly obedient eyes, panic eating at his breath. He wasn't just observing anymore, clearly. Prompto's fingers were still digging into his skin, his body close enough that Jason could feel the heat and see with acute detail the shock beneath his blond lashes and the dust clinging to the sweat on his brow. He could feel the uneven ground beneath his suddenly too stifled feet, the shoes feeling nothing like the loose loafers he had been wearing before. And was that...chocobo patterning on his...sombrero?

Oh shit. He _was_ Noctis.

His first thought: he had never looked more _and_ less Mexican in his life.

The second: fuuuuuuuuck.

Both men's eyes locked in a completely different shock as a familiar creaking groan came from behind them. As one, they turned to watch dark forms rise from the parched ground from portals of liquid shadow. But this time, Jason wasn't safely on the other side of a television screen, excited for another thrilling battle. No, there was no filter between him and the terror of two red giants lifting out of the ether, their demonic eyes glowing in the night and locking onto his suddenly very vulnerable person. Jason trembled, Prompto's hands on him no more steady than his own.

"Oh," he said weakly past his closing throat.

"Shit," Prompto echoed his sentiment.

Gunfire cracked deafeningly in the night as the battle began.

-o0o-

 _AN:_

 _Eeeeh. That went a little different than I expected. I'm going to have to change the summary now. Oh well! I think this is better anyway. Jumanji, anyone? No? Kingdom Hearts 2? Just me? *Waggles eyebrows*_

 _I tell you what, it is totally surreal writing likenesses of my friends and places I frequent in fiction. How novel. I wonder if that will ever wear off. Anywho, the worlds have merged! What is going on? Is it Prompto? Is it Jason? Someone else manipulating time and space? Who knows! Now their worlds have merged and chaos will ensue._

 _How was my pacing, did it come across okay?_

 _Hope you enjoyed. Toodles!_


	5. Under the Skin

Prompto stared, knuckles white with the force with which he held Noctis, into death itself. So...that's what those daemons looked like up close. He _really_ wished he had never had the opportunity to find out! Noctis hung uselessly in his grip, trembling just as badly as Prompto, and all thoughts of oddities vanished from the blond's mind in favor of adrenaline.

"Guys…?" Prompto near whimpered. And suddenly Gladiolus and Ignis were at their sides as if they hadn't been standing like lifeless dolls not a moment before.

"What the fuck?" Gladio growled in alarm, "Where did those things come from?" From the arsenal, he pulled his massive sword, Ignis doing the same with his long daggers at his side. Noctis visibly jumped, leaning away from them both. Prompto couldn't even find it in himself to spare him a look.

"I should have noticed the time sooner," Iggy cursed, holding his daggers at the ready. The demons stalked closer, and the four vibrated with tension. "Regardless, we should retreat. None of us are prepared for–"

But it was much too late. "Iggy, look out!" In a flash, Prompto's gun was out, cracking with a deafening bang and piercing a lunging shadow from the air. Gladio let out a roar and swung his sword in a sweeping arch, pushing back the hoard of goblins that creeped up on them from the darkness.

"We're surrounded! Gladio–"

"You got it Iggy! Prompto, protect the prince!" With that the two sprang into battle, cleaving their way through the throng, the red giants drawing ever closer.

The hand holding his pistol shook as Prompto fired round after round into the throng. "Oh geez, oh geez! Noct, we have to–Noctis?" Half expecting the prince to lunge into the offensive immediately, he stopped short when he realized the raven hadn't moved.

Glassy blue eyes stared into the fray in disbelief. His legs barely seemed to hold his own weight, a look of such abject horror that Prompto didn't think he'd ever witnessed on his friend's face. A goblin came up beside them and Prompto pulled the arm in his grip hard and fired right above his head, ending it in a bang. "Noct! Come on, buddy, move!"

Noctis flinched badly with a terrified shout, ripping his arm from Prompto's grip. "NO!" He screamed, voice breaking hard. He glared at Prompto with such heat that the blond actually gasped in surprise. "Whatever you're doing, stop it! Stop it right now!"

Prompto took a step back at the alien expression and strange words. "Wha–" Noct wasn't making any sense, none of this was making any sense–

But Prompto didn't have any time to figure it out. When the heat in those familiar but strange blue eyes turned to abject terror, he knew without looking that something was coming. No time to move, he lunged forward, snapping his eyes shut. But he didn't get hit from behind. Instead, he felt a shoulder digging into his gut as he was full body tackled by Noctis himself. "Look out!"

Red light and punishing heat was his only warning before a massive sword made from fire itself slammed into the space the two were occupying not a second before. But they weren't done moving yet. Prompto felt arms wrap around him forcefully as they continued to roll end over end, the blond cradled into Noctis' body as they tumbled. Rolling to a stop several feet away, Prompto was released and Noctis leapt to his feet, the other man a split second behind him. With a shout, Gladio appeared before them and hacked at the giant's legs as the two scrambled away.

"What was–" Prompto gasped as yet another goblin rounded on him, about to take off his head. He removed its head instead with a well placed shot, only to whip around and see Noctis struggling with his own enemy. He blinked in confusion.

Noctis was...wrestling with it. The prince stared at the creature as if he had never seen it before, with more fear than was warranted for such a weak daemon. Far from his usual preference for weapons, he was using his hands and feet to bat at the thing, as if that was the only thing he knew how to do. He jumped when Prompto shot it through its body, the creature dissipating into nothing.

"What are you doing!?"

"Noct," Gladio shouted from across the field, his red giant staggered by a powerful blow. He was looking to the prince in disbelief. "You have all those weapons at your disposal, use 'em!"

"Wha–" Noctis looked up in confusion. Then he shouted in realization. "Weapons, right!" He shook his hands once, twice, but nothing but blue sparks came out. "Come on, how do you work this stupid thing!?"

"Highness, look out!" Noctis' eyes widened in alarm as the other red giant broke into a run in their direction, each monstrous step shaking the earth beneath their feet.

 _"Shitshitshit–!_ _"_ Noctis couldn't seem to react in time and Prompto dove in front of him, firing shot after ineffective shot while the prince panicked. What was going _on_? Why was Noctis acting this way?!

Luckily for them both, Ignis was fast. With lightning agility, the royal advisor leapt into the daemon's face and gouged his eyes with his blades, staggering it. It stumbled back as Ignis landed lightly on his feet, staring the monster down while holding out a protective hand before the youngest members of the group. "I've taken out most of the goblins! We need to retreat!"

"R-right!" Prompto grabbed onto the flailing prince's arm and started to yank him away into the darkness.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," Noctis intoned over and over, stumbling along behind him.

"Dude, move! We have to–" A blood curdling scream stopped them cold in their tracks.

"IGNIS!" Gladio cried.

Both men whipped around and watched in horror as Ignis' body sailed through the air, leaving a smoking trail in its wake. The giant completed its massive swing and paused as if to watch the ruin of a man hit the ground with a stomach lurching thud.

He lay motionless.

"NO!" Prompto howled just as Gladiolus let out a fearsome roar, abandoning his own opponent to destroy the one who harmed one of their own. Prompto bolted forward, completely forgetting himself in his grief to join Gladio in a mad rush. Tears streaming down his face, he fired round after imptotent round at the creature with cracked screams that tore at his throat.

 _No, no, no!_

With an earth shattered swing of his sword, Gladiolus broke the creatures limb with a deafening crack. Prompto hit every weak spot again and again. But it was not enough. They were closing in on the large man.

Prompto's gun ran out of bullets. He summoned another clip.

 _NO! This wasn't supposed to happen!_

He emptied another thirty rounds. No good, no good! The creatures groaned and creaked, unaffected by anything they could do. And still Gladio tore into them with a manic fury. Panic clawed past the lump in Prompto's throat.

 _What do I do? I can't do anything! Useless fool! You're going to let him die too!_

Prompto burst forward. He wouldn't get there in time, and even if he did, there was nothing he could do. These daemons were beyond any of them, and he could barely see past the tears obscuring his vision. One giant lifted its massive hand in an ominous red glow, dragging the berserker with a gravity all its own while the one behind him lifted its fiery sword high.

In Prompto's eyes, the world grayed out and time _stopped_. He tripped over a loose rock and tumbled forward, ripping his pant leg and skin alike. With a choked groan of pain he scrambled back to his feet to resume his mad dash.

Only to pause in shock.

Time really _had_ stopped. Prompto stared at the scene before him. The world was leached of color, the fire no longer looking a blaze, more like a photo with a sepia filter. Sound had stopped as well, only a white noise buzzing in his ears. The tragedy about to happen seemed suspended in time, Gladio trapped and about to be torn apart. This was like no Stop spell he had ever heard of, the ones that froze an enemy in place for a few seconds. No, the _entire world_ was frozen!

"What?" Prompto gasped through labored breaths. With a hysterical grunt he tore at his hair. What now!?

"Prompto!"

Prompto spun on the spot, faltering slightly as throbs of pain in his leg threatened to buckle his knee, at the unfamiliar pronunciation of his name from a very familiar voice. The 'o's sounded almost drawled and the 'p's popped a little too dramatically, entirely different from how Noctis usually used it, but in his voice regardless. Several paces away, Noctis kneeled on the ground, fists gripping between his knees as if in an effort to keep them still. His shoulders trembled slightly, whether from fear or whatever it was he seemed to be doing to hold this strange spell. His eyes glowed white as he stared at Prompto, who couldn't help but gape at the sight.

"N-Noct!" Prompto breathed. "Are you doing this?"

"Shut up and get over here," Noctis' voice was strange, wrong sounding. He'd never spoken like this before–so expressively–or fixed his best friend with such a cold stare. "We have less than two minutes and I can't move. You need to make this count!" When Prompto could only stutter in shock, Noct's face twisted in anger. "NOW!"

Prompto scrambled over himself to crouch down in front of the kneeling prince, nearly falling into him as his leg gave out. Noctis flinched, and sound rushed back into their awareness for a split second before he cursed and froze again. White noise resumed.

"How are you doing that!?"

"No time! God, you're dumb as a brick, aren't you?" Before Prompto could even bring himself to be offended, Noctis continued, ordering sharply. "Take a potion for that leg wound," Prompto yelped as the most peculiar sensation took over his arm, a numb tingling, before it began to move on its own. A potion was summoned to his hand and smashed by insubordinate fingers, the rush of healing magic running up and down his leg to soothe his wounds. "Give this to Ignis," a fiery red feather appeared in his still numb hand, one he'd never seen before. "And get Gladio out of there before the timer runs out!"

Prompto stared down at the feather in his now obedient hand. He thought he knew what it was, but he'd never seen one before in person. With a jolt of adrenaline, he abandoned the his strangely acting friend and bolted to their fallen member like the daemons of hell were on his very heels...which they kind of were.

He skidded to a halt next to his prone friend and dragged him onto his back with trembling hands. "Oh, gods, Iggy!" he whimpered, taking in the horrific damage. Ignis gazed out at the sky through half masted eyes unseeing, torso blackened by daemon fire. The cloying scent of burned flesh stung Prompto's nose. There was no way anyone could survive such a blow. Gently, almost scared of causing further damage, Prompto placed the phoenix down into Ignis' still hand and held it to his terribly still chest.

Nothing happened. Ignis still lied still, face unnaturally grayed by the spell encasing them.

Prompto choked on his panic. "Noct! Nothing's happening, why is nothing happening!?"

Muttered curses, and then, "Time has to start again! Leave it there and get Gladio! Only a minute left."

"O-kay!" Prompto stuttered, launching himself forward once more. Not paying any mind to the giants looming above them, Prompto latched onto Gladio's hunched shoulders, the man locked in a pained grimace and clenched muscles, and wrenched the man from the daemon's grip. Instantly, the shield's immense weight fell on the slight blond, but what was usually more than he could bear was nothing in his adrenaline fueled state. He dragged Gladio's dead weight out of the monsters' range.

"Thirty seconds!" Noctis warned, voice becoming frantic. "When the timer's up, I'll go for Ignis. You get Gladio to run!" Prompto struggled to pull Gladio a few feet further. "Now!"

Sound rushed back in like a deafening boom after the ages of silence. One giant's sword slammed into the other daemon, the original target now long out of range. It groaned in protest, knee hitting the ground hard enough to make it tremble beneath their feet. Then the fallen daemon threw itself at the other, the two creatures battling with each other now.

Gladio thrashed in Prompto's arms as the blond desperately gripped his massive shoulders, only to still when he realized he was no longer in the danger zone. "Prom?" Rather than letting go, Prompto tugged frantically at the large man's shoulders still, trying to get him on his feet.

"No time! Gotta move!"

Gladio blinked, hauling himself up. "What?" He gasped. "Iggy!" Looking frantically about, he began to race to the spot he saw the man fall, but Prompto pulled him away.

" _No time!_ Noctis has him, run!" Indeed, Gladio saw the prince pull Ignis to his feet some yards away, but before Gladiolus could figure out _how_ exactly Iggy was standing on his own, Prompto yanked with an almighty heave of his entire body, even as a fraction of Gladio's weight managing to pull him along. With a grunt, Gladio broke into a run, sword dissipating into the ether, spurred on by the still violent battle between the two giants raging behind them.

-o0o-

Hearts racing and exhaustion pulling at their limbs, the four men collapsed onto the comforting plateau of a haven a half hour later. All of them were covered in minor wounds both from the battle and from running in the dark without their lights in an effort to remain undetected by the prowling beasts.

Ignis groaned as Jason placed him gently on the ground, removing the man's arm from around his neck before collapsing onto his back a few feet away. The man, though slight in figure, was larger than Jason at the moment, and much heavier than he would have liked to carry for half an hour. Gladio and Prompto immediately moved to check on Ignis, relieved to see him conscious and moving, if a bit pained. Jason knew there was nothing terribly wrong with him, if a phoenix down behaved the same way now that he was in the game. If that was what this was. It certainly didn't feel like a game to him...

But what the hell did he know? The rules might be entirely different now. Jason didn't really want to think about that fact at the moment. He watched with tired hooded eyes, hat long gone in the battle, as Gladio helped Ignis into a sitting position, hands lingering on lean shoulders in case the brunette fell. Prompto leaned on his hands and knees staring into Ignis' face as if desperate for some sign that he was alright.

Ignis' eyes flickered open as Gladio helped him upright. "You alright, Iggy?" the large man said gently.

Ignis ran a hand over the charred remains of his clothes, staring in wonder at the unblemished, if a bit sooty, skin beneath. "I believe so. Was that a phoenix down you used? Remarkable."

With a stuttering cry, Prompto launched himself at Ignis, burying his face in the man's neck. Ignis bore this with only a slightly pained expression, running a comforting hand through stiff blond locks. "Such fuss," Ignis tutted.

Jason shifted uncomfortably in his seated position a few feet from this scene. He wanted desperately to move further away and look elsewhere, the feeling of being a voyeur increasing by the minute. This...was a _little_ more touchy feely then he remembered them in canon.

"What did you expect?" Gladio answered Ignis, arm still tight around his shoulders.

"Y-yeah, couldn't do this w-without you Iggy," Prompto whimpered into his chest, squeezing tight.

And then, to Jason's utter shock, Ignis smiled up at Gladiolus and, with the hand not occupied with crying blond, pulled the larger man down for a kiss, pressing their lips together heedless of the blood specs and dust covering their faces. Cheeks heating rapidly, Jason jerked his gaze to the sky, wishing he were anywhere else but here. That _definitely_ hadn't been a part of canon! They pulled apart with a quiet wet sound that Jason wished he could have blocked out like his vision, totally uncomfortable with the fact that they were making out in front of a stranger they thought was their friend.

"Now, enough of this, you two. Noctis," Jason jumped when the man turned his attention towards him. Gladiolus had moved back and Prompto was in the process of pulling himself onto his heels, all three of them turning to regard him. "Are you unharmed?"

Jason blinked, not sure how to respond. "Y-yeah," he stuttered. The prince's body was unharmed, though with a sinking feeling, Jason wasn't sure about his consciousness. Was he just asleep while Jason took an unexpected joy ride? He hoped to God that was the case and this was somehow reversible, for both their sakes.

"Good," Gladiolus growled, expression darkening dangerously. "Then care to explain what the hell you were doing back there?"

"I–" Jason tried, but he didn't know what to say. The truth? _Hi, yeah, I took over your boy Noct's body and then commenced to stand back and flail uselessly as daemons tore you guys apart. Nice to meet you!_ Yeah, like that would go over well. "I panicked," he said instead.

"You PANICKED?" Gladiolus snarled, jumping to his feet and stepping over Ignis and Prompto. Jason scrambled to his feet as well, falling into a defensive stance automatically. "Ignis could have _died_ while you were standing back there doing nothing!"

Indignation rose in Jason's chest, his fear and frustration getting the better of him. "I saved him, you ungrateful ass! I could have cut and run and left all of you freaks to be monster food but I didn't!"

"WHAT!" Gladiolus roared, seeing red. He snatched the front of Jason's jacket and lifted him from the ground. Jason bared his teeth, just as angry and three seconds away from breaking all of the fingers in this dumb brute's hand. His eyes flashed white.

"Gladio, enough!" Ignis' cool command froze the enraged shield in his tracks. Seeming to come back to himself, Gladiolus frowned, slowly lowering Jason to the ground and releasing his jacket roughly. Ignis placed a calming hand on his inked shoulder before looking closely at Jason. Prompto bounced uneasily on his toes a few feet behind, hands raised placatingly and eyes darting between the three.

Jason lifted his chin in defiance, straightening his jacket dramatically with a flick of his wrist. Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose, the runes flashing in their reflection. "I see. Might you tell us your name?" Gladio's eyebrows drew together in confusion and Prompto shifted anxiously from foot to foot.

The advisor's delivery, cool as you please, gave Jason pause, a little surprised at the sharp observation. He had thought he might have to go to some extreme lengths to convince them that he wasn't who they thought he was, but he should have known that at least Ignis would catch on faster than the dumb blond. After all, he always had seemed to be pre-programmed with all of the answers. Before he could respond, Gladio interrupted.

"The hell are you talking about, Iggy?"

Ignis adjusted his glasses again, crossing his other arm around his half bare torso. "I believe our prince has been possessed by someone or some _thing_ else." And just like that, all three pairs of eyes were locked onto Jason with expressions ranging from shock to intense scrutiny.

Jason swallowed. Man, this, whatever this was, felt too real. There were souls behind those eyes, somehow, no doubt about it, all semblance of pixilated renderings gone. It was unsettling, to say the least. Wind, actual wind, rustled his too straight black locks as the silence grew, and there was absolutely no seeing through this to his world and body. He was really here...somehow.

"Jason Cruz," he finally said, and Gladiolus inhaled sharply.

"What is going on?" The shield half asked, half demanded. "Where is Noctis?"

Bitterness intruded, and Jason's mouth moved before his brain could provide input. "I don't know, why don't you ask _him_ ," he jabbed a too pale finger violently in Prompto's direction, who flinched. "He's the reason I'm here!" Before he could blink, an iron hard hand was over his wrist, hard enough to make the bones grind together.

"Do _not_ threaten my friends," Gladiolus snarled, getting into Jason's face. "And get the hell out of Noctis!"

Jason glared back, fed up not intimidated in the least. This was no daemon, but a man, and Jason knew how to handle men. He faced down brutes like this on a daily basis at home, and he'd never backed down before. He wasn't going to start now. "Let go of me," he growled, voice going several octaves lower. He saw red, imagining all of the ways he could break this arrogant man; shatter the jaw, break the knee, dislocate that shoulder…

A slender hand pressed against his chest, it's twin solidly on Gladiolus' breastbone. "I said, that's enough," Ignis said dangerously, glaring pointedly between the two. "Now, let us all settle down and start a fire. Maybe then we can get some answers."

With a short hiss, Gladiolus let go and stormed off the side of the plateau, no doubt to cool himself off. Jason glared at his retreating back till he disappeared, rubbing his wrist to get the circulation back. Ignis caught his attention, those piercing green eyes seeming to see right through him. "I am going to get some firewood. You two stay here." With a significant look to Prompto, he slowly withdrew his hand from Jason's person and followed Gladio into the dark.

The camp fell into stony silence. Jason seethed, trying his best to calm down. But it was difficult. He didn't know what was going on and that scared him. Getting threatened by a man three times his size also didn't help matters much. Or, y'know, getting attacked by monsters. That sucked too.

"So, um…" Prompto wrung his hands together. Jason glared at him out of the corner of his eyes and the blond lifted his hands in surrender. "Whoa, no need for that! I was just going to ask...is Noctis still in there?"

"...I don't know. I think so. I think he's just sleeping." Probably. Hopefully. Who really knew?

Prompto let out a nervous laugh, rocking back on his heels. The sound grated against Jason's nerves. "That sounds like him alright." He appeared no less worried, however. "Uuum," Jason sighed, figuring the blond wouldn't be quieting any time soon. What he wouldn't give for just a few minutes of silence to wrap his head around what just happened. Alas. "So, I just wanted to say...thanks. For saving us, I mean."

Jason blinked in surprise, facing the blond fully. "Oh. I guess...yeah. I mean, you're welcome."

And just like that, Prompto was grinning. Man, nothing seemed to keep this guy down. He stepped forward and slapped Jason in the shoulder as if they had known each other for years. "Man, this day has been weird. I hope Iggy has something good to feed us!" He paused quizzically. "Do you eat?"

Unbidden, a small laugh was pulled from Jason's chest. "Yes, I eat. I'm human, bro!" What did he think he was, a ghost or something? ...Well, now that he thought about it, he had thought something similar earlier that day when he was in his own world still. Whatever.

"Oh...You laugh weird."

"Tch. Shut up, man," Jason smiled despite himself. He might be half annoyed–after all, Prompto always seemed little more than an annoying tagalong in the game–but he was starting to see that each of them was different from how they were written. He couldn't judge them for the writing in the game, obviously. Prompto was actually starting to remind him of Nat a little, and that thought eased him slightly.

Prompto grinned back. "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen Noctis smile like that."

Jason smiled mischievously before sticking out his tongue and pulling a face he knew the moody prince would never do. He always had thought Noctis' character was a bit whiny and obnoxious. Guy needed to loosen up a little.

Sure enough, Prompto barked a surprised laugh. "Oh–oh! Let me get this shot!" He pulled out his camera from the arsenal in a flash of blue sparks and Jason held still obligingly as he took a quick photo. Yeah, maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all. Prompto looked at the camera screen with a silly grin. "Nice! I can't wait to show Noctis."

Jason's smile fell. He looked down at his hands–too slender, too pale to be his–and quickly looked away, anxiety squeezing his gut sharply. A light touch at his shoulder brought his attention back around to the blond's suddenly concerned blue eyes.

"Hey, we'll figure this out, don't worry!" Jason shrugged helplessly, finding himself not much reassured by the man beside him. What he wouldn't give to be with Nat at his apartment, sipping a cold beer and forgetting all of his worries with some video games–well, maybe he'd lay off the video games for a while after this fiasco. He shuddered, thinking of getting trapped in a game like Doom. Yup, not touching that game ever again. Not that this game was all sunshine and peaches either, what with that tragic ending...

"Why couldn't I get sucked into a game like Kingdom Hearts…?" he muttered under his breath. At least no one ever died in that game, it being for kids and all. Well, maybe not. That game had its own manner of tragedy. Right. He just wanted plain old reality back, thanks. Wait, did that mean that all games might be real…? Before that thought could completely blow his mind and throw him into an existential crisis, Prompto interrupted his troubled musings.

"Wait, you played Kingdom Hearts, too? I loved that game! I've been more into King's Night lately myself."

Jason just gaped. Wait, what? Prompto smiled innocently at him, hand still clutching his shoulder, completely oblivious to Jason's turmoil. The otherworldly man frowned. Yup. He knew exactly whose fault all of this was. Square Enix was the devil.

Prompto shifted, smile faltering uncomfortably. "So, what exactly did you mean about this all being my fault, anyway? Does it have anything to do with the seriously weird couple of weeks I've been having?"

"...Yeah, you could say that." Huh. How to put this? Jason wasn't really sure what to say, because he was pretty sure he didn't know much more than Prompto about all of this. In fact, if he remembered correctly, he had assumed that the Crownsgaurd would know what was going on. So much for that.

Luckily he didn't have to say anything. Ignis chose that moment to return to camp, arms laden with hacked tree limbs and a sullen, but vaguely placated Gladio at his heel with more. Jason didn't want to think about what they might have done in the dark. He blocked the thought. Without a word or a glance in Jason's direction, the large man set to work in the middle of the campsite, coaxing a fire from a casually summoned match.

Ignis dusted his hands and looked around. "Ah," he said, frowning. "I would suggest we set up camp, but…" he looked to Jason, expression carefully neutral. Jason frowned, guarded once more. "Noctis is usually the one who summons our gear."

Jason lifted a brow. Really? He had never seen that...but as he was starting to understand, there was much more to these four men–and this world–that the game had demonstrated. It made sense though. If not in the Regalia, which was at the shop, then how did they carry their gear around? The arsenal, obviously. "Um…" he trailed off, looking at his hands. Right. He was in Noctis' body, so he should be able to…He concentrated, trying to latch onto anything that felt like he might be accessing magic….and feeling completely foolish. Wait. There.

Prompto yelped as a huge _something_ materialized right above his head. He leapt to the side as a massive sword clattered to the ground right where he had been standing. Jason winced, both in embarrassment and the totally weird feeling in his gut that action had brought. "Sorry, man. Wait, I'll try again."

"Ah, that won't be necessary," Ignis said quickly, but Jason wasn't listening. "Oh dear."

Instead, he summoned the game menu with a thought, the options popping up to the left side of his vision. Jason blinked, disoriented. The more he experienced, the more this didn't make sense. And yet, there the menu was, summoned as easily as if he had pushed the button on his controller. Just like when he had used the wait timer before. Was this a game? Was it an alternate reality? Was it Jason projecting his expectations onto a rather vivid dream? Who the hell knew.

Scrolling through the options, Jason pulled up the inventory. In a way, that was the arsenal, or rather, everything the men gathered in their journey. He didn't remember the camping gear being in there, though...oh wait. There it was. Weird. There also seemed to be a lot of other random stuff in here that he hadn't ever noticed before, but he ignored it in favor of immediate needs. Thumb twitching unconsciously, he selected the camping gear and closed the menu, clearing his vision to the night once again.

With a satisfying thump, all of the gear tumbled out of the ether in a shower of blue sparks to fall into a tangled heap. "There we go," Jason said. He looked up with a tiny smile, only for it to falter when he realized all three men were staring at him with intensity. "What?"

"Your eyes were glowing white, dude," Prompto supplied.

"Oh," Jason muttered, though he couldn't bring himself to feel anything about that. What was glowing eyes in a world like this? Suddenly, it all hit him at once. He felt terrible, drained, wavering on his feet as if the world was undulating beneath him. Eyes widened in alarm all around as he teetered back and forth, vision spinning. He fell to a seated position in a heap. "Ugh."

"Whoa, are you okay?" Prompto asked, grabbing his shoulder in support. But Jason couldn't answer. His vision darkened at the edges.

Muffled words drifted in and out of his consciousness, but for a while he was only able to stare into the flickering fire in front of him. Bone deep exhaustion clawed at his limbs and made his eyes itch, but Jason tried his best to stay awake. Who knew what would happen to him if he passed out then? Eventually, the world stopped spinning and he was able to claw his way back to reality.

He came too with a groan. "Noct–I mean, Jason? You back with us?"

"Ugh, what was that?" Jason slurred, blinking hard. The camp was set up in its entirety, showing him that he had to have been out for at least a half hour. Something delicious tickled his nose from the camp stove across the fire, and his stomach roiled in protest. Prompto kneeled next to him anxiously, and Jason realized that he had been placed into a sling chair at some point, though he didn't remember.

"You went into stasis," Ignis said from his position by the stove. He strode over, steaming mug in hand, and placed it gently between Jason's numb fingers. "Drink this. It will help." Jason smelled it carefully, wrinkling his nose. Smelled a little too sweet for his taste. Still, he gulped the warm liquid without a word, grimacing at the sugary taste. Warmth blossomed in his stomach and he sat back with a tired grunt.

"You can't just use Noct's body like that." Gladiolus snapped, and Jason glanced at him through half lidded eyes. The large man was sitting in his own chair, arms crossed across his chest and scowl firmly in place.

Jason pursed his lips, trying to curb his temper this time. He got it, he really did. They didn't know if their friend was okay or not, and there was some stranger abusing his body. Well, fine, but Jason didn't ask for this either. Besides, "You just said that Noct usually summons the camping gear."

"Yes," Ignis interjected before Gladio could give him a heated response that he could see on the tip of his acid tongue. "But Noctis is accustomed to the drain of using the Lucian magic and can regulate it. You likely overpowered your summons. Best not to try that again."

That made sense. He guessed. He never really thought about it, but he should have realized that that kind of power likely would require years of discipline to master. "Sorry. I won't."

"Don't sweat it, buddy," Prompto smiled, pulling away to plop into his own seat. "You'll get the hang of it."

I really hope not, Jason thought, and it seemed his sentiment was echoed from the other two. Hopefully this would be resolved before he had to 'get the hang of' anything. Ignis continued to seem busy over by the stove while Jason stared into the fire once more. He could barely keep his eyes open still, and he could feel the uncomfortable burn of both Gladio and Prompto's eyes on him. He managed to grunt in thanks as Ignis pushed a steaming bowl of stew into his hands. He had a fleeting thought, that wow, this smells just as good as it looks, before he was shoveling the food into his mouth indiscriminately. He hummed appreciatively as the warmth spread through his entire body.

"Dude, are you eating vegetables? If I didn't think this was real before, I definitely do now," Prompto joked.

No one really found this amusing but that comment, it seemed, was the opening that they all waited for, because Ignis cleared his throat pointedly. "So, Jason. Tell us how you came to be here."

Jason lowered his spoon slowly before looking up at the night sky. The stars were unnaturally bright, considering the moon was out, and the view was pretty breathtaking. Idly, he wondered whether it was a replica of his own sky, but didn't have the astronomy knowledge to really tell. He sighed deeply, just wishing this day would end. He looked back down to resignedly regard the three before him. "I guess it all started when this guy," he pointed to Prompto, who poked his own chest as if to say 'who, me?', "murdered the damned fourth wall."

-o0o-

 _AN:_

 _Ah, battle scenes. Gotta love them. Jason is learning a lot about the guys that he never expected. It's becoming clear that although he played through the game already, he invested little attention into the characters themselves. I know I didn't pay much attention at first. My first impression was literally along the lines of 'oh great. Trope boyband'. I thought Noctis and Prompto were annoying tbh. Also, I kind of thought Ignis was an asshole. They grew on me as I got to know them, obviously :) Jason's already starting to bend to Prompto's charms, haha._

 _Do I really think Jason could take Gladio on? I wouldn't doubt it. There are a lot of Gladiolus sized dudes in MA that I've seen him spar with no problem. That is, not counting the fantasy strength, I suppose._

 _Miss Noctis? No worries, he won't be out for long! Thanks for your support, everyone. Let me know what you think!_


	6. Messenger

To be honest, Jason really didn't know what to expect as far as reactions to his story. Disbelief, yes. Confusion, surely. Anger...meh, probably. That was understandable. He was rather angry himself.

A miscommunication so bad, it caused an absurd misunderstanding that could quite possibly change the fate of all Eos as they knew it and trap him in this crazy reality for all eternity?

...Yeah, that one came out of nowhere. At this point, Jason was about ready to jump off a cliff, just to see what would happen.

His story wasn't all that long. It started _literally_ the day before (for him), so what was there to tell other than an increasingly bizarre series of events? He didn't really have any revelations or musings to share, so it only took him about ten minutes to relate the whole thing. Ignis and Gladio stayed stoic throughout the short narrative, unresponsive and surely in turns, and that was fine by Jason. He didn't think he'd know how to react either, and he'd rather save the violence and accusations till after he was done. Prompto, on the other hand, was practically vibrating at his side, mouth half open and lip bitten in turns, as if bursting to say whatever was on his mind, but holding back in his excitement to hear the rest.

"...and found myself in a ridiculous sombrero with monsters attacking me. The end." Okay, so maybe he was being a bit glib about the whole thing, but come on, he was tired. Besides, Prompto didn't seem to mind. In fact, if his grin got any bigger, it would reach his ears. Jason fell silent and waited, watching the figurative fuse disappear.

"I knew it!" Prompto crowed dramatically, jumping to his feet and doing a giddy dance. "I knew something weird was going on! The music, the random junk, time not working like it should; that's the answer! My life is a dope RPG and I'm totally the main character, woohooo!"

Choking back a laugh despite himself, Jason poked the exuberant man in the side. "Hate to burst your bubble, blondie, but Noctis is the main character. You're pretty much the comic relief."

Prompto pouted, sticking out his bottom lip like a child. "Whaaaat!? I'm totally main character material! Do I at least get a DLC?"

Um, wow. Unbelievable. He really did seem unfazed by this reality altering revelation. Maybe he just thought that this was a better explanation than whatever had been going through his mind while Jason been inadvertently messing with him for weeks. Jason knew he, himself was at least a little relieved that he wasn't haunted or crazy or something. Or maybe it just hadn't hit Prompto yet.

Or _maybe_ he was just a huge nerd and got off on stuff like this. That...might be the most reasonable explanation, actually.

"Yeah, all three of you get a DLC, actually."

"No way! What was mine about? Do I get a girlfriend? Oh! Do I get to fight a dragon?!"

"Aaaah," Jason hedged, not sure if the truth was the wisest thing. He really didn't want to ruin the guy's day after all. "Yeah, let's go with that."

"Score! I knew it, I'm awesome!"

"Alright, Prompto, enough joking around," Ignis finally said, expression still thoughtful. "Hm. This is troubling. Unprecedented, even." Gladio still sat in stony silence, but surprisingly, he didn't seem as hostile as before.

Jason snorted. "You think?" A vast understatement if there ever was one.

"Do you have any idea what happened to your own body, Your Grace? Is there a reason you needed to commandeer our prince?"

"Well, it's not like I did it on purpose. I was literally pulled…" Jason stopped. "Did you just call me 'Your Grace'?"

Prompto laughed. "Yeah, Iggy, he might be in Noct, but he's not…" The blond trailed off at the stern expression on Ignis' face.

"It is appropriate to call a Messenger by their title. Lady Gentiana is afforded the same courtesy and I would not see another of her station slighted, regardless of the circumstances of his current body." Ignis looked back to Jason. "I do apologize for our lack of manners earlier. We did not know who you were. Your appearance is appreciated, but rather alarming, given the circumstances. Usually, Messenger's are afforded their own bodies."

Prompto and Jason shared a look of disbelief. "Um, Iggy? What do you mean by Messenger?"

The man blinked. "A Messenger of the Astrals, of course. They serve as a means to commune with the Gods. Lady Gentiana has been in service to Lady Lunafreya for quite some time for this purpose. I was not aware that one could be summoned, as you said, but clearly I was mistaken."

As _I_ said? Jason thought. He was absolutely positive that he had never in his life said anything of the sort. WHAT was this guy SMOKING?

"Right," Jason said, just barely keeping it together. His nerves were entirely shot and it was starting to feel like he was talking to a brick wall. "Just so we're all on the same page, can you paraphrase what I told you? Just so, um, I know you understood?"

"Certainly. You–"

But Gladio beat him to it, sounding impatient. "Noctis summoned you. Something big is about to go down and the Astral sent you as a guide." Ignis sent the larger man a glare, but Gladio shrugged with a roguish smirk. "What? My way was faster. If I let you get into lecture mode we'd be here all night."

"...What he said." Ignis deadpanned after a moment.

Wearing identical expressions of abject confusion, Jason and Prompto stared at the other two in silence. Jason was at a complete loss. What the hell? That wasn't even close to _anything_ he'd said in the past twenty minutes. Messenger of the Astrals? How did they even come up with this nonsense? Judging by the expression on Prompto's face–poor guy was going as pale as he usually did before a panic attack–the youngest of the group didn't have a clue either.

But it seemed that neither Gladio or Ignis were sensing anything amiss.

"Whelp," Gladio groaned, stretching his arms above his head and yawning wide. "Whatever's going to go down isn't going to happen tonight, right? Best get some sleep. I'm beat."

"Yes," Ignis agreed, sounding both worn and thoughtful. "You are welcome to join us in the tent, Your Grace. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but for now it will have to suffice. We can talk more in the morning."

"...Thanks, Ignis. I just need to," Jason grabbed Prompto's wrist tightly and the blond jumped, coming out of whatever thoughts he was trapped in, "um, ask Prompto some stuff. Be with you in a moment."

Without even waiting for Ignis' response, Jason stood abruptly and dragged Prompto to the edge of camp. He followed without so much as a peep about how hard the displaced man was gripping his hand. Once they had descended the ramp that lead to the ground–but didn't pass beyond the protection of the ruins, Jason wasn't an idiot–he rounded on Prompto. "What just happened? Was I speaking a different language or something?!" he hissed.

"N-no, dude!" Prompto whispered back, looking for all the world like he had reached his wit's end. Well, join the club. "What was all that about being a Messenger? That wasn't even _close_ to what you said! Something's, like, editing your words in real time or something!" Prompto groaned and grinded the heels of his hands into his eyes roughly. "Ugh! This is just like when I tried to talk to them before. It was like–no matter what freaky stuff was going on, they just said it was normal!"

"What the hell are we supposed to do?! I'm not a freaking Messenger, or whatever! If _you_ don't know anything, and _they_ are getting the freaking _abridged_ version, then–This is nuts!" Suddenly, Jason just felt so _tired_. Brain overloaded, he felt that if _one more thing_ came along to burden his mind, he was going to lose it. Prompto groaned and leaned back against the rock behind him, looking just as bad as Jason felt, if not worse. He, after all, had been dealing with this for longer.

"Look, dude," Prompto said, "We're probably not going to be able to figure this out right now. Let's just get some sleep before my freaking brain melts."

"Prompto, that is probably the most intelligent thing I've ever heard you say."

"Hey!"

"C'mon," Jason threw an arm around the fuming blond. "Let's get some shut-eye while there's still stars out."

As he laid on his side as far from the other three as humanly possible, Jason's mind raced and allowed him no rest, despite his exhaustion. Someone, or something, brought him to this world and was playing him and Prompto like puppets on a string. Whatever was going on, it didn't look like either of them had any choice but to play along.

For now.

Desperately trying not to think of all of the things that could go wrong playing this arbitrarily assigned role he'd been saddled with, Jason fell into an uneasy sleep, the grating snores of three strangers at his back.

-o0o-

Jason dreamed.

He walked along darkened streets of Austin at night. Music pounded out of every opening, mixing together in a disparate blend of dissonant sound. Multicolored lights bathed the night in technicolor. Dizzy from drink, Jason laughed at something one of his friends said as she dramatically flicked her copper hair over a bare shoulder, the joke flying over his head but too wasted to care. A warm body leaned against his side. He stumbled and regained his balance just in time to avoid tumbling to the ground with Nat in tow, the blond more out of it than he somehow, though Jason was fairly certain he drank more.

Nat leaned in even closer to shout into Jason's ear over the pounding noise. "Next bar?" His voice was understandably slurred, but his friend paid it no mind. Jason grinned, opening his mouth to say 'hell yeah!'

But nothing came out. The world spun and warped, colors blurring into each other like a sickening rainbow of syrups in an oversweet drink. Jason blinked hard and Nat's face swirled beyond recognition. Suddenly, it was Prompto plastered against his side, younger somehow with unstyled hair and cheeks flushed with laughter, just as drunk as Nat had been. The buildings were taller and darker around him, built closer in than the sprawl of a Texas city. The road was unfamiliar. "You good to go, buddy?" Prompto laughed over the discordant music.

"...out…!"

Jason found himself in a massive chamber, no longer drunk but feeling calm, a quiet anxiety in his chest. The silence was deafening after the music faded, and the floor echoed loudly as he walked over decadent marble floors. In the immense room, no matter how he strained his eyes he could not see the ceiling, the vaulted columned walls going on and on forever, it seemed. He stopped in front of one wall and turned to regard it. It blurred, indistinct, but it's dark image made the anxiety grow bigger until he kneeled gasping on the floor…

The world shifted once more, and he stood in the heart of the Medici tombs in Florence Italy, a few years younger and backpacking across Europe. His fingers itched for his camera, but there were no photos allowed here. Precious stone lined every surface in an opulence unheard of in this era, and it takes his breath away, how it all seems so much larger than life. The power these men must have commanded. He turned to share his enthusiasm with the girl he had traveled with, and found her sketching away in her leather journal, paying him no mind with a small smile on her lips. He grinned, reaching over to snatch her pen, but with a slight wave of vertigo, found himself reaching for a man's hand instead. The walls darkened to black marble around him, a long hall stretching into the indistinct distance.

"Please, Highness," Ignis reprimanded, snatching his notebook back with an exasperated sigh. "Stealing my pen will not get you out of this afternoon's meetings…"

"...o are yo…?!" a muffled shouting seemed to be coming from outside, or maybe a far distance. Jason tried to concentrate on it, but it was difficult.

The scene changed again. He was standing at a large window, looking far, far down into the mob of Insomnians outside. They lifted signs and chanted their anger to the sky. 'Reject Immigrants' they said. 'Keep Insomnia Pure'.

A heavy sigh sounded from beside him, and Jason looked over. An old man stood at his side, staring out into the crowd with sadness. He was handsome, and very regal in strange formal dress. Jason though he might know him, but it was a vague recollection at best. With a pale hand, he reached out and placed a pale hand on the man's shoulder for comfort. Warmth blossomed in his chest. Affection. Worry.

"...get out." Any warm feelings he might have felt fled as a coldness gripped his heart, a quiet anger that unsettled him. Jason could not find its source, but he felt as though something was terribly wrong.

He was somewhere else now, a comforting breeze ruffling his hair. Beautifully manicured grounds surrounded him, foliage of all types in a menagerie of colors blocking out the rest of the world in a semblance of privacy. The royal gardens, he somehow knew. Jason smiled as he stroked a worn leather journal. It felt warm in his hands, and so very familiar in a way that ached. He opened it, glancing casually at page after page without really seeing them, having gone over them so many times in his short life that he knew the words by heart. He reached the end of the written pages and paused, running a slim finger over beautiful script, heart racing a little at the fresh ink inside.

 _Noctis,_ it began in elegant script, the likes of which Jason had not seen before.

 _My dear friend. I know it has been much too long since I last wrote. The sylleblossoms are blooming magnificently this year, and their bravery reminded me of you...How I wish you were here to share this with me…_

Jason's cheeks bloomed into a heated blush, even as his lips pulled up into a pleased smile. He leaned forward and brought the book to his face, closing his eyes. He breathed in the scent of springtime and vanilla that always clung to its sepia pages…

"ENOUGH!"

Greenery dissolved into nothing in violent waves of blue light, gale force winds whipping about Jason so forcefully he couldn't even hear his own frightened shout. And then it was dead silent. With a racing heart, Jason snapped open his eyes and flinched at the ominous figure before him. Noctis stood, rigid in his shoulders and pale as death in his black fatigues. Blue eyes glared fiercely at Jason, so darkened with anger they appeared nearly black in the shifting light.

"I don't know who you are," he said, husky voice lowered into a growl. "But you have no right to see that! Get out!"

Jason opened his mouth to reply, shout, _something_ , but not matter how he tried, he could make no sound. I want to, he though. I don't know how!

Noctis outright snarled in anger, eyes seeming to draw in the light around them until they glowed bright purple, their surroundings darkening alarmingly. Jason didn't think anyone had ever looked at him with such hostility before, and he had been in some pretty rough fights in his short life. "I said GET OUT!"

Jason screamed as he was swallowed by a suffocating blackness, the purple pinpricks of Noctis' glare the last to blink out.

-o0o-

Prompto woke abruptly as if someone had kicked him in the side. Without even opening his eyes, he sat up with a grunt. He groaned, long and whiny, scraping his hair from his sweaty forehead. That's it. If he didn't get a bath he was going to DIE.

He peeled his eyes open, looking around blurrily. Gladio, sprawled out over half the tent, check. Ignis, buried somewhere beneath the big guy's left arm, a-check. Noctis curled into a little ball, clinging to the head of some dark skinned man who happened to not be wearing any clothes. Yup, nothing out of the ord–

Prompto blinked. The image did not change.

"Uuuuugh, Ignis? You might want to see this," Prompto said tightly, voice going a higher pitch with each word, cracking spectacularly at the end.

"Whua?" came the indistinct question from the other side of the tent. A loud grunt–Gladio, it sounded like, but no way was Prompto looking away from the strange scene before him–and some shuffling later, and Ignis was beside him, looking down with equal shock. "Oh dear."

Gladiolus rolled over as well, squinting over Prompto's shoulder. "Whatthefu…?" he said sleepily.

He was tall, Ignis' size at least, and he was shades darker than Gladio. Messy, shoulder length black locks obscured his face, but the rest of him was completely exposed. He shifted, and the three moved back in slight caution. Shoulder muscles bulged as the strange man pushed himself up, Noctis' arm shifting from his body and sliding down broad shoulders and toned abs before falling to the tent floor in a thump. The man seemed to observe the prince for several seconds before he looked up at the three staring blatantly not a few feet away. Dark brown irises regarded them in shock, the chocolaty pools so dark they almost appeared black.

"...Jason?"

-o0o-

 _An:_

 _...I wonder how long it will take Jason to realize he's naked. Heh, wow, my dramatic side is showing. I do love illustrating dream scenes. And lol, I can just hear Prompto calling for Iggy like "Moooom, there's a strange man in my bedroom!"_

 _Hm, I wonder who could be manipulating Prompto and Jason like that? Who could it be…_

 _I hope to keep this story somewhere between drama and comedy, so you can expect shenanigans and plot in equal measures in the future :) Thanks everyone for your support!_


	7. Will

"Jason?"

The man stared, dark chocolate eyes blown wide in surprise, and didn't answer Ignis' enquiry at first. Understandable. The dude had been through a lot. But more importantly than that!

 _Oh my gods naked man in our tent oh my gods–_

Prompto swore, if he could blush any harder, his FACE would explode. As it was, he kept his eyes solidly on Jason's, because, _oh gods, this is awkward. I mean, how long has he been sleeping like that next to–_

"Noct!" Prompto scrambled forward, ignoring the stunned man and launching himself at his best friend. Taking his shoulders roughly, he shook the raven until he was quite certain he might snap his spine. Noctis came awake with a startled jerk and a gasp. Unclouded blue eyes opened and Prompto could already feel his heart soaring with relief. Yes! His bud was back!

"Prom–ow, what the hell, let go!" Noctis scowled, brow still drooping with sleep and just as grumpy as always to be awoken. Well. Prompto practically shaking his brains out might have something to do with that, but that wasn't important because–

"It is you!" Prompto latched onto the drowsy prince, sending them both crashing back to the tent floor. Noct grunted when he hit the stone ground a little too hard as wired arms squeezed the life out of him.

"Of course it's me, who else would I be?" Noctis wheezed. "Prompto–can't–breathe! Gladio, a little help?!"

A deep chuckle, and then Prompto found himself pried from his prince's form, strong hands practically lifting him from the tent floor before he found himself trapped in a teasing headlock against Gladio's chest. "Try not to suffocate him after we just got him back, yeah?" The larger man's amused voice vibrated through his back, and Prompto found himself grinning sheepishly with a shrug, not at all sorry.

Ignis shuffled forward and helped Noctis prop himself into a seated position. While Noct struggled to wake himself, the spectacled man not-so-subtly scanned him from head to toe. "Highness, are you feeling well?" Gladio snorted, clearly amused by Ignis' fussing, and Prompto shared the sentiment. Ignis might have been acting reserved the night before, but worry shone plainly on his face in the bright light of dawn. He was protective of them all, as was his worrisome nature, but Noctis held a particular soft spot in his regard. They had a long history, after all. Even though Noctis was already well past the age of needing to be taken care of, the instinct, it seemed, would never leave the royal advisor.

Noctis only huffed in response, slapping weakly at questioning hands. "I'm _fine_ _,_ Specs. What's gotten into you guys?"

Ignis frowned. "Don't you remember?"

"Remember wha–" Noctis froze as he and Jason finally locked eyes. Jason still looked completely dazed, having watched the whole conversation with a look of detachment, as if he couldn't quite process what was going on. But once their eyes met, the dark man flinched, a look of wariness leaching into his slack expression. Noctis, for his part, was gaping at the stranger looking all the world like someone just slapped him in the face with a dead fish. And then, like stormclouds obscuring the sun, his expression closed off, a low growl building in the back of his throat. "You."

Jason tensed visibly, hands planted on the floor and shoulders bunched, as if ready to leap into action at any second. Prompto nearly squeaked as Gladio immediately locked up in response to the threat, gripping onto the blond's shoulder hard as if prepared to throw him out of the way and launch forward at the slightest provocation.

But there was no need. Noctis did not move from his position behind Ignis, who had subtly shifted forward the moment things became tense, and Jason froze like a cornered animal when he seemed to realize that he did something that could be perceived as aggressive. "What are you doing here?"

"I wish I knew," Jason said slowly, speaking for the first time. His voice was a pleasant medium pitch, somewhere between Promptos' light timbre and Ignis' smooth drawl. His accent, as well, was one that Prompto had never heard before, and couldn't for the life of him place. Prompto thought it suited him, what with his rather strange appearance. If the blond hadn't thought he was being honest about being from another world before, he believed it now.

Prompto gulped nervously as the tension seemed to ratchet up a couple more notches. He laughed shakily. "Um, guys, maybe we can all calm down a little? And, um, maybe get Jason some clothes?" His eyes flickered downward before pointedly staring to some random corner of the green fabric above them. Catching the look, Jason seemed to just realize his predicament, face darkening alarmingly.

"Uh," he said, promptly sitting back into a more modest position.

A pause, and then Ignis pushed up his glasses, clearing his throat pointedly. "Yes, why don't we all move outside so we can talk properly. You three–out."

For a split second, none of them moved. Prompto shifted nervously, wanting to leave but afraid of what might happen if he did, what with the way Noctis was glaring at their unexpected guest. Jason was looking terribly uncomfortable, avoiding all of their gazes.

"You sure, Iggy?" Gladio said finally. Ignis gave him no more than an irritated twitch of his lips, probably not appreciating the implication that he couldn't handle one rogue man.

"Quite."

"...Okay. C'mon, you two. Out." Then he used Prompto's back to lever himself up, unzipping the tent and climbing out into the sunlight.

Prompto grunted, and ignoring the almost irresistible urge to respond, 'yes, dad,' followed the older man into fresh air. When he turned back, Noctis was still glaring daggers at Jason, but with a sharp look from Ignis, exited the tent as well. It closed behind them with a swift zip.

With an imperious flick of his finger, the disgruntled prince stalked to the far side of the haven, Gladio and Prompto following on his heels. He rounded on them. "What the hell is going on? Who is that guy?" He hissed. Then he looked around, confused. "And how did we even get here? Weren't we on our way to Hammerhead?" He looked between Prompto, who was biting his nails nervously at a loss of what to say, and Gladio, who kept a steady gaze on the tent as if prepared to launch into shield mode the second he was needed to fight naked strangers off his long-time lover.

"Name's Jason," Gladiolus said bluntly, not taking his eyes off the quiet tent. "Says he's a Messenger of the Gods. You apparently summoned him last night and he took over your body."

 _"What!?"_

"Ah, um," Prompto interjected before Noctis could act on those violent thoughts painted clearly on his face, "Jason didn't do it on purpose!" Both men looked to him curiously and Prompto bit his lip. Oh geez, what to say? Ignis and Gladio seemed utterly convinced that Jason was some Messenger, and whatever thing was preventing them from hearing what he was actually saying was no doubt still in full effect. Better play along for now then. "Yeah, he told me last night that, uh, the summoning went wrong somehow and it would take him a while to generate his body!" What. "But now he's got it back, so it's all good!" That didn't make any sense. Back from where? Prompto blamed his utter lack of lying skills on it being before breakfast. A guy couldn't be expected make stuff up properly without food in his belly!

It seemed to make some sense though, because Noctis looked slightly less suspicious. He frowned deeply. "I don't remember summoning a Messenger. I didn't even know I _could."_

"Yeah, well," Gladiolus said, smirking. "Try not to do it again, yeah? The last thing we need is for our prince to keep spawning naked dudes in the middle of the night. What _would_ your father think?"

Noctis turned crimson. "Ass," he muttered. Prompto laughed nervously. Crisis averted. For the moment.

Wait, why was he even trying to go along with this anyway? It was complete bull. But at least this way his friends didn't think he was crazy anymore. And Jason was still alive, not smited by Noctis' early morning rage! That was a good thing! Right?

Noctis was still frowning, looking vaguely murderous. He stared at Prompto and opened his mouth to say something, but they were interrupted by the tent unzipping.

Jason stepped out, pushing black, waved hair from his eyes as he straightened. He wore some of Ignis' slacks and one of his shirts, but not nearly as properly as Ignis himself preferred. The pinstriped shirt was untucked, unbuttoned at the collar and clung a little tightly to Jason's slightly larger frame. The pants were similarly tight, but seemed to fit well enough, Jason and Ignis about the same height. He stepped out and Ignis followed closely behind.

He locked eyes with Noctis.

Electricity seemed to snap between the two, Noctis angered and Jason defensive. Ignis stepped between them. "Now, now. Let's all take a seat and discuss this like civilized men, shall we?"

Noctis glared, then with a jerk, moved towards his usual chair. He hissed sharply between his teeth as Jason moved as well in the same direction, moving towards the chair he had occupied last night. Which happened to be Noctis'. Jason froze.

"Aaaah, you can take my seat!" Prompto interjected quickly, placing both hands on Jason's tense shoulders and steering him towards his usual chair. Prompto could sit on the ground, no problem! Just don't kill each other, m'kay?

"You don't have to give up your seat for this jerk," Noctis snarled. Jason stopped dead, heedless of the hands still trying to push him forward. A bead of sweat slipped down Prompto's brow.

"I don't mind, dude, really." And he was starting to get annoyed with Noctis as well. Jason so didn't deserve the third degree he was getting.

"It's fine, Prompto," Jason said tightly. "I'll stand if it's all the same to you." He looked half way to just throwing up his hands and leaving, actually. Prompto couldn't say he blamed him. He frowned.

"Nuh-uh, sit." Prompto pushed harder and Jason didn't resist this time, allowing himself to be placed into a sling chair by the long dead fire. He pouted at Noctis until the man sat as well–even if Noctis did so petulantly. With a satisfied smile, Prompto crouched down and made himself comfortable between them.

Ignis and Gladio had already long taken their seats, the larger watching the scene with hooded eyes.

"So," Noctis started, breaking the stoney silence, "Jason, was it? You wanna tell me what you were doing mucking around in my dreams?"

Jason scowled in return, lifting his hands in a gesture of irritation. "I don't know! Like I told these guys last night, I have no idea how I ended up in your body. It wasn't like I could just turn it off or something! If I could, I wouldn't be here at all!"

Noctis' frown hardly eased, but he did lean back slightly. "You say you're a Messenger of the Astrals? I've never heard of another besides Gentiana, and as far as I know, she wasn't summoned or anything."

Jason slumped in his seat and ran his fingers through his long hair. "I–ugh, this is annoying." He looked to Prompto, as if he had any idea what to say either. Prompto shrugged helplessly, gesturing for him to try. Maybe it would be different with Noctis? He did have the most powerful bloodline on Eos, after all. Favored by the Gods and all that. Jason sighed. "Okay look, I'm not actually from this world, okay? In my world, this is all just a videogame, and none of you guys are even real! Or maybe some guy got a glimpse into another reality and decided to make a videogame about it and somehow the worlds connected or–whatever. All I know is, I was just playing on my day off and Prompto saw me somehow and pulled me in." Noctis was watching Jason closely, eyes narrowed in concentration. Or suspicion. Prompto thought that might be a good thing. Maybe? "I didn't mean to take over your body, or see any of your embarrassing memories about your girlfriend, okay? I just want to go home!"

"She's not my girlfriend," Noctis muttered, crossing his arms.

"Whatever, fiance then. I always thought your romance with her was a little contrived anyway."

Okay, that was rude, Prompto thought with a slight frown. Noctis might be a little overwhelmed by the thought of marrying Lunafreya but...okay, yeah, he'd been bitching about it since it happened. But that didn't mean he wasn't totally in love with her!

Prompto decided to ignore the pained expression on Noctis' face. Gladio snorted loudly.

"So _anyway,_ _"_ Noctis said, obviously changing the subject. His face became grave then, tone lowering in seriousness. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and trust that what you say is true, even though it sounds like complete bullshit–"

"Noct," Ignis said like someone long used to reprimanding the prince for improperness but resigned to the fact that none of it ever sank in. But he was ignored as usual. Prompto, for his part, grinned at Jason, who gave a tentative smile back. That sounded promising! He knew that Noctis, of all people wouldn't be fooled by some reality-manipulating-mystery-force!

Noctis leaned forward. "This event you were talking about that would throw the whole world into darkness...does it have anything to do with the peace treaty signing in Insomnia?"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Jason leapt from his seat, positively seething. In a flash, the other four men were on their feet as well, chairs toppling and weapons pulled from the arsenal.

"Whoa, guys, calm down," Prompto tried, shifting from foot to foot with nerves. This was _not_ helping his stress levels, here!

But Jason didn't even flinch when three deadly blades pointed in his direction. With a snarl he spun on the heel of his borrowed shoes and stalked off the side of camp, cussing out loud frequently as he made his hurried way into the heat of Liede on his own.

"Lovely," Ignis said, lowering his weapons with a heavy sigh, sarcasm thick. "I don't think you could have made a worse impression if you tried, and that's saying something."

"Me?!" Noctis shouted. "He was the one who took over my body and watched my memories like some–some–"

"Regardless," Ignis reprimanded, "If what that man says is true, we could have a very serious problem on our hands–"

"Um, guys," Prompto tried.

"How do we even know that what he says is the truth?" Gladio interrupted, dismissing his weapon with a huff. "Could be lying through his teeth."

"Yes," Ignis said patiently. "But the timing is too convenient. The treaty signing is only days away and you can't tell me you don't have at least some suspicions that it is a trap." Noctis scowled, looking off into the distance.

"I never should have left Insomnia…"

"Be that as it may, you were given a duty to perform. We will just have to trust the King knows what he is doing." Ignis looked back to Gladio. "Besides, I don't think just anyone can possess a prince of Lucius. If not a Messenger, who have been thought to be akin to spirits in the past, then what?"

"Guys," Prompto said a little louder, glancing back and forth between the desert– and the retreating man in the distance–and his three friends. Still, he was ignored.

"I don't trust him," Gladio growled.

"Well, that's the understatement of the century," Noctis grumbled. "Those places in his memories didn't look like the realm of the Gods to me."

"So after all that fuss, you saw his memories too?" Ignis shook his head, but Noctis shrugged, unrepentant. "Regardless, you shouldn't judge him by his background. Messengers aren't always born so. About five generations ago, there was one–"

"GUYS!" Prompto shouted loudly, at the end of his patience. All three startled as if they forgot he was there. He grit his teeth in aggravation. "Hello! Jason just walked off into the desert! Alone! Shouldn't we, I don't know, _make sure he doesn't get killed?"_

"Let him figure it out," Gladiolus said dismissively. "His fault for storming off like that." Noctis nodded in taciturn agreement.

"That's because–Ugh! Fine, stay here! But I'm going after him!"

"Prompto, I don't think that's wise–"

"And I can't believe you, Ignis," Prompto said hotly, taking Ignis aback. "Jason didn't ask for this any more than Noctis did being a prince! And in case you've already forgotten, _Jason saved your life!"_

Noctis froze. "What?"

Ignis' brow dropped in confusion. "I thought that was the phoenix down you gave me, Prompto."

Prompto shook his head rapidly. "No! It was all Jason! He somehow stopped time. If it wasn't for him, we would all be dead!"

 _"What?!"_

"Anyway, I'm going after him. You guys stay here and–cool off!" Without waiting for input from any of them, Prompto drew his gun and took off into the desert. A commotion started behind him, but he didn't stick around to find out what was going on.

By the time Prompto caught up with Jason, the man had made it half a mile. He was sitting in the shade of a short tree, fuming, when Prompto pulled to a stop, huffing already in the rising heat. Jason didn't acknowledge him.

"Dude, you can't just go running off like that, it's dangerous out here!" Prompto sat heavily in the dust next to the hunched man and peered into his hard face. "You okay?"

"No," Jason answered immediately. "I feel like I'm dancing to someone's tune, I have no control over my life all of a sudden and I'm pretty sure I've gone effing crazy and _I'm so not okay, okay?"_ By the time he finished, Jason was nearly shouting, eyes blazing.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Prompto shouted back. "But I'm already getting the third degree from the guys and I so don't need it from you too, alright?!"

Jason opened his mouth. Closed it. Then sat back with a deep breath, slumping into the rough bark behind him. "Sorry," he muttered. "I don't blame you for this." He narrowed his eyes. "Even though this has _something_ to do with you."

"Got me," Prompto shrugged, gesturing idly out into the desert with his gun. "My life was already messed up long before you showed up."

Jason frowned. Prompto decided it wasn't a very good look on him. He looked much better when he smiled. "How are you not more freaked out by this?" he said slowly. "I basically told you that you don't exist. Doesn't that bother you at all?"

Prompto tilted his chin, thinking about it. Did it bother him? It _should_ by all accounts. If what Jason said was true, his life was merely a fabrication of someone's imagination. All of his past, present and future were already decided and written by a person who faced no real consequences of his fate. But if he thought of it that way, wasn't that what they said about the Gods? Was the idea really so different? And really, did it matter? He still suffered, laughed, cried and loved just the same. If someone said it wasn't real, so what? It was real to _him._

And that was all that really mattered, in the end.

Besides that….The wrist holding onto Prompto's gun twitched, the sweat beneath his ever present armband causing his skin to itch slightly. He thought about what lied beneath with a grimace. It wasn't like he was a real person anyway…

The blond forced a smile, not quite meeting the eyes that watched him intently. "Oh, you know. It's kind of cool, right? I always wanted to be in a videogame…" Even if he was an escapist in that regard. He had wanted to jump into some _other_ video game to escape his own life when he was a kid, not actually have his life turn into one. But, meh. Semantics.

Jason didn't answer for a long time, just observing the blond. Prompto could feel his gaze on him, but he didn't dare return it. This guy...he said he played the 'game' all the way through. Which meant he was probably looking at Prompto with a lot more knowledge about him than Prompto was strictly comfortable with.

He really didn't want to know what was going through the foreigner's head.

Eventually, Jason sighed, releasing Prompto from his intense gaze. Prompto may or may not have shuddered in relief. "So anyway. What are we going to do? Those guys clearly aren't hearing what I'm saying and if this is going where I think it's going…"

Prompto looked at him curiously as he trailed off. "What do you mean?"

"Well you heard 'em, right? I'm the 'Messenger of the Astrals' come to guide the prince," he waved his hands in the air sarcastically, "through an upcoming event that might plunge the world in darkness. It sounds to me like someone didn't like the way the game ended and wants me to change it."

That...actually kind of made sense. Wait. "...How did the game end?"

Jason looked at him seriously for a long moment. Prompto shifted uncomfortably, a pit forming in his stomach. "You don't want to know," he said after a while.

Prompto let out the breath he was holding. No. He really didn't think he did. After all, how could his life end in anything but tragedy, considering his origins? He had always felt, ever since he met Noctis and became his friend against all odds, that his unexpected happiness hung on a spiderweb thin thread, ready to snap at the gentlest breath of wind. Whether it be Noctis finding out his secret and rejecting him, or worse, executing him as so often happened in his nightmares, or finding out that this was all some elaborate dream and he was still that depressed fat kid, lying on his bed in his empty house with no hope, no one to care whether he lived or died. Alone.

Prompto shivered, despite the heat.

Whatever the case, he didn't want anything to do with it if that was the reason for the dark look on his new acquaintance's face.

"Well," Prompto said slowly, thinking it through. "You know what's going to happen, right?"

"...Yeah. More or less."

"And we have no idea how to get you back home?"

"Yeah?" Jason furrowed his brow, clearly not seeing where Prompto was going with this.

"Well, maybe you can. You know. Change the ending."

"You mean, like...hack the game?" He grimaced, then exclaimed, "You're kidding, right?! This is Final Fantasy, those games always end in tragedy! If I stay here, I'll be lucky to make it out alive, much less–" he cut himself off abruptly. "...Oh, shit, Prompto, I didn't mean…Ah, geez."

And that, right there, was exactly what Prompto didn't want to hear. So his story does end in tragedy. He gulped, looking down at the ground. Oh well. N-not like it wasn't something he already knew. But to have it confirmed... "N-no, it's okay," he said faintly. "You don't know me, not really. I can't ask you to…" Tears pricked at Prompto's eyes as anxiety stabbed him sharply in the gut.

"Look, I–shit! You're just–a fictional character!" He floundered over his words, and every one of them seemed to cut into Prompto like a knife. "I have a life, a home! I don't want to die for some–some–"

"Some what?" Prompto whispered. "Is it because I'm not real? Because I'm not like you?" Jason's eyes flickered down to Prompto's wrist. So. So, he did know after all. For some reason, that only made Prompto angrier. He stood, shaking the dust from his seat almost casually. "It's fine. Whatever. You–" He shook his head. Nothing more to say, Prompto left, Jason's eyes burning into his back.

-o0o-

Prompto's thoughts raced as he made his way slowly back to camp. Sweat dripped down his back and into his eyes, but he paid it no mind. Some nameless threat loomed above him like a dark cloud, lightning about to strike at any minute and no shelter to weather it. As far as omens went, he supposed it could have been worse. But...not by much.

The camp came into sight, and his three friends shouted worried greetings, Noctis actually jumping from the platform to meet him halfway when he came into sight.

"Prompto! Where have you been?" Noctis practically yelled when he reached his friend. He scanned him quickly, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Prompto's heart warmed just a little, happy that Noctis had worried. It didn't help all that much really, but it felt nice all the same. "Where's that guy?"

Prompto looked back. Seeing nothing but empty crags behind him, he faced resolutely forward and chuckled derisively. "Ah, dunno. I think he left."

Noctis' hand was a warm presence on his shoulder, and Prompto allowed the small touch to comfort him. "Tch, some help he is. C'mon, Iggy says we need to get a move on."

"Are we still heading to Altissia? Even after what he told us?" The hand tightened, and Prompto looked up into Noct's pinched expression. Blue eyes drifted to the ground and Noctis nodded.

"Yeah. Ignis thinks dad wouldn't send us out here if he thought something was going to happen…" But he didn't sound so sure.

"Well, hey," Prompto said with forced cheer, placing his hand over Noct's. "We'll be with you all the way, so don't worry so much! You're not going it alone, okay?"

And then he was looking into Prompto's eyes with that aching vulnerability the blond had gotten to know so well, a small flicker of hope and affection lighting those sapphires for those who knew how to look for it. Yes, Noctis was a hard one to read on most days–surly at the best of times– but for those who knew him, he was an open book with his heart right out on his sleeve. The prince smiled a little, and it felt like Prompto's world just got a little bit better. "I can always count on you to cheer me up."

Prompto's heart clenched. How could anyone say Noctis was fake, that _any_ of them were? Not when anyone could so clearly see the soul behind that gaze. Right. Screw Jason. Prompto might not know what was coming, but he was going to do his damndest to make sure that that tragedy never came to pass, whatever it might be.

"Come on, buddy, let's go! We might even get to stay in a hotel tonight!"

"Uuugh, that sounds amazing. I'm all sticky and gross, ick."

"Woohoo, bath time!"

Prompto swung his arm over his prince, sweat and all, and steered him back to the others, the two older men waiting impatiently at an already packed camp.

"Get a move on, you two," Gladio shouted when they were in earshot. "Sun's a-wastin'! Let's get the hell out of dodge before the garage closes again."

"You got it, Gladdy-Daddy," Prompto sing-songed so that only Noctis could hear. Noctis snorted loudly into his hand, shoulders shaking with mirth, and Prompto couldn't help but grin back.

"I am so telling him you said that!"

Prompto gasped. "You wouldn't _dare."_

With a mischievous smile, the prince threw off Prompto's arm and burst forward into a dead sprint. "Gladio! You won't believe what Prompto just–"

"Noct! Get back here! If you tell Gladio, I'm telling Ignis about that one time–" Noctis about faced abruptly and Prompto ran right into him, both of them tumbling to the ground. Noct tried to cover the blond's mouth during the scuffle, but Prompto could still get a word in or two through both the muzzle and his laughter. "–the frying pan–nhmnh–red boxer shorts–Ah, watch the face! The couch cushion was never the same–!"

"Prompto, _shut up!"_

Yeah. There was nothing more that Prompto loved in this world than spending time with his best friends. He would give anything to protect them, and there was nothing in this world –not the Gods, not Niflheim, not daemons, and _definitely_ not self absorbed gamers–that could stop him.

-o0o-

Jason didn't move for a long time. The sun moved slowly across the sky, eventually stealing his shade and burning his skin, but still he sat and watched. And felt.

He watched as herds of strange beasts prowled the land. Watched as old fashioned cars passed on the road several miles away, filled with people going from one place or another. Felt the wind through his hair and the grit of desert dust on his skin.

No matter how he willed it, this reality did not disappear.

And maybe worse than that, guilt clawed at his insides. He didn't have any reason to do anything for anyone in this world, and yet...dismissing Prompto's existence like that, and basically dismissing everything that he knew would happen to the guy and his family...his world. Yeah, that was cold. And unfair.

Hell, Jason didn't know if he could actually do anything. But Prompto had a point. He didn't have any way home that he could see, and he just let his best bet of finding it walk away. Besides that, some unknown will was forcing him to play the role they assigned, and the pressure just wasn't letting up. Maybe it was the Astrals; real gods deciding his fate. Or maybe it was just some crazed up fruitloop writing out a sick fantasy in some other dimension with an unholy power over his reality. Who even cared at this point?

Aw, hell. Who was Jason kidding? He had to try. Besides, he just had to make sure they never ran out of convenient magical potions, so even if he gets mauled, he'll be fine. No big.

With a grunt, he levered himself to his feet, stretching his sore limbs and wrinkling his nose at the pain of disturbing his burned skin. But meh, he was Mexican. It would just turn into a tan anyway.

He took one step. Stopped. Turned around.

Which way was Hammerhead again?

-o0o-

 _AN:_

 _Aw, it's so cute how they are trying to rationalize Jason's existence by Eos' rules. I swear, they're making my job easier. And Prompto is unexpectedly wise. Good for you, sunshine!_

 _Don't look at me like that! Of course Jason is going to do what I want him to. Wouldn't be much of a story if he jumped off a cliff or something. And you can bet he won't be following anyone's will but his own, least of all mine. Should be fun._


	8. Left

What to do? Hm. What to do...

Yeah, he was lost. Why did the world have to be so freaking big now? He could swear it only took, like, fifteen minutes or something to cross the desert on foot in game, but now...he'd been walking for hours and hadn't seen a single landmark he recognized. Of course, it made sense that this reality would be larger. After all, the climate changes in the game were a bit extreme considering the map was only about ten miles across or something. In any case, he was dead lost with no water and food and still hours away till sunset in over a hundred degree weather. Jason would be in a world of hurt if he didn't find anyone out here.

The first thing Jason tried was the haven he had (foolishly) stormed from before, but he was much too late. They were gone. No trace of the four remained. He didn't blame them, per se, after what he said to Prompto, but it still sucked. He only vaguely knew where he was and despite growing up in a place like Texas, none of the hikes he endured in the southern sun quite prepared him for the long hours in a true desert. At least at home, he had never been stupid enough to wander around a pretty much empty region with no provisions and no plan. Or piss off the only guy willing to help him. Yeah, good move, Jason.

So, without people who knew the land to guide him, he made his way over to the closest road; that being the one he had been staring at while he sulked. It was several miles away, and even when he got to it, there were no cars to be found. So he walked.

Gravel and cracked concrete crunched underneath Jason's borrowed shoes, the fit too large–how could Ignis be slimmer than him and have bigger feet?–which left aching blisters on his heels. He sweat profusely in misery, just trying to keep walking in a straight line. Usually, it would have been smarter to wait until nightfall, when it wouldn't be so hot, but not in this world. Not in this place where daemons and monsters roamed the night just waiting for a weary traveler to wander into waiting jaws. No, though the wandering beasts of this desert were no walk in the park either, he would much rather fight a pack of wild dogs than a red giant.

A howl in the distance had Jason shivering despite the heat. He paused. Okay, so he would rather not have to fight anything at all.

After a wary scan of the empty horizon, Jason continued on. Man, he was effing thirsty. Not even his eternal optimism could soothe the dryness in his throat. He'd been out here for _hours._ Couldn't Prompto have left him a water bottle, or at least a goddam _map–_

Jason crouched down with a piteous moan, then when that wasn't enough, he smacked himself repeatedly on the head. "Jason, you are a freaking idiot." Of _course_ he had a map, had he lost his senses completely? He dragged himself over to the side of the road and collapsed against a large rock.

With a flick of thought and an unconscious twitch of his thumbs, Jason pulled up the game menu. When he saw the MAP as the first item on the menu, he rolled his eyes at himself so hard they probably would have rolled right out of his head were this some silly cartoon. But since it wasn't he just gave himself a headache. Whatever.

Before he could select it though, a movement caught his eye to the right and he found himself looking at...himself. He didn't even notice before, when he was in Noct's body, but he was the only one in the 'party' now, so of course they wouldn't be there anymore. Whereas before, Noctis and his retinue would stand awkwardly like a criminal lineup staring into space and awaiting a gamer to select weapons or something, Jason saw only one man; a replica of himself, standing as if waiting in line or enduring some other boring task. But it didn't look quite like him. Brown eyes stared off into space beneath waved black hair, as usual. He stood as he normally would if made to wait; weight shifted to one hip and hands tucked into pants pockets. Even the way he tapped his heel impatiently every few seconds looked identical, but something seemed slightly...off. The best way he could describe it was...stylized, he guessed. Yes, despite the fact that the environment and people looked one hundred percent real now that he was in the game, the image of himself before him was most definitely altered, as if rendered by an artist.

It was unsettling, and brought forward too many questions about his actual existence to be comfortable. Shaking it off, Jason banished his shadow image and pulled the map forward.

What came up wasn't exactly what he remembered. For all the shape of the country seemed the same, it was vastly bigger with more landmarks; lakes and mountains and towns and roads...Many things were still the same, though, which was comforting. Like, there was the Rock of Ravatogh, Insomnia, and Galdin Quay, so he wasn't completely out of his depth. But geez, what used to take a few minutes now looked like it would take an entire _day._ Just his luck.

Prompto said that they could make it to Hammerhead before nightfall on foot, so Jason couldn't be too terribly far. He scanned the map closely, figuring out after a moment that he could zoom in and out if he turned his head just so (which probably had nothing to do with the position of his chin, but hey, it worked) and eventually found what he was looking for. Now, if only he knew where he was...After several minutes of scanning, he found the haven where he started and figured out he was about fifteen miles from his destination still. Juuust great. He was starving.

But hold on, he was thinking about this all wrong! He had the whole inventory at his disposal, after all. With a grin, he scanned through the supply list in the inventory and selected a bottle of blue stuff that looked like something drinkable, and closed the menu.

He blinked rapidly as the desert sun burned his eyes after the cool blues and blacks of the menu, and grunted when something cold and hard landed heavily on his lap. He regained his vision just long enough to see the remnants of blue sparks dissipate into nothing, leaving behind a cool blue bottle. With all the fervor of a parched man in the desert, Jason fell onto the blue bottle and drank it in three big gulps. He grimaced at the taste. Eughe. Sweet.

As he polished off the life-giving liquid, a thought gave him pause. Since the menu was essentially Noctis' arsenal, was he actually stealing supplies from the guys…?

A shout in the distance echoed off of the land around him, causing Jason to jerk to his feet, abandoning the bottle where it lay. Several silent moments passed, and the dark skinned man almost thought he had imagined it when it came again.

Along with the distinct howls of wild dogs.

"Help!"

A spike of adrenaline spurred Jason into a dead run, a surprising amount of energy coursing through his body. He had stopped at a bend, and when he rounded the shelf of rock that had blocked his view of the road, he met a terrifying sight.

One man–blond, average sized–huddled inside of a pale blue volkswagen. The car was in poor condition, smoking at the hood and tire flat, but that wasn't the most troubling part.

His car was surrounded by sabertusks.

Three of the twice-man-sized beasts surrounded the poor motorist, their skeletal frames ramming and scratching at the small car's frame, seeming to lack nothing in strength for all that they were thin as rails. Protrusions of bones spiked from their backs and deadly looking paws, and they used them to try to pry open the car like a can of tuna to get to their prey inside.

Jason had seen these beasts many times before, but never like this, never _real_. Terror tore through him, freezing him in place as one of the creatures turned in his direction, yellow, pupil-less eyes catching his own blown ones. With a jerk, Jason scrambled back, taking cover behind the rock shelf once more. The man's frantic screams and the squeal of bone across metal filled his senses.

Oh God, what was he going to do? That man needed help, but Jason–Jason had never fought anything like that before! He would be killed!

"Help, please! Anyone! Aaaagh!"

How did those guys fight these things every day without flinching?! He peaked around again only to jump badly as one of the sabertusks ripped the handle from one of the car doors. The man inside screamed in terror. Jason grabbed his hair and pulled hard. Fuck, fuck, _fuck!_ That guy was going to be torn apart! A sabertusk jamming a long hooked claw into the door and beginning to pry it open finally spurred the man into action.

What the hell was he training for if he couldn't help even one person when it mattered?! With frantic hands, he practically physically summoned the menu. The cool music and silence surrounded him, but Jason didn't trust that time actually stopped, not until he could test it. He scrambled through the options and selected the first dagger-like weapon he could find, then closed it out with a frantic swipe of his hand. Reality inserted itself once more and Jason found himself holding a long knife in his hand, longer than what he was used to training with–he was more accustomed to easily hidden self defense weapons–and before he could lose his nerve, jumped from cover.

"Hey!" his first attempt came out as no more than a timid squeak. The second was louder. "Hey! You ugly bastards, over here!"

The reaction was instant. Three sets of soulless eyes locked onto Jason with fearsome snarls and it was all the man could do not to drop his weapon and run for the hills. But he held still, unwilling to leave the motorist behind. The dog wraiths turned as one unit to face the new threat, growls ripping from their throats. Jason figured he had but a few seconds to live and forced his limbs into a defensive stance, fighting every instinct he head to run, run, _run._

Their first pass was nearly catastrophic. Almost faster than the otherworldly man could react, one of them leapt forward into a wild charge, whip-like tongue hanging from tusked maw. With a howl, Jason threw himself back, bringing his long dagger to bear and holding it stiff before him. The beast ran into it and screeched as it bit into its side. It stumbled away, wounded, but it was not alone. The two others attacked at the same time, and Jason, wide open, could not avoid them completely.

He twisted frantically, but still some claws tore into him, raking down his back and biting into his side as they passed, the beasts hitting hard and fast before pulling back out of range to circle. Adrenaline hid the pain from Jason's senses, but he could still see the blood running down his sides, Ignis' shirt ruined beyond repair by wicked claws. He shuddered to think about what the skin looked like beneath, but there was no time to check. With frantic gasps, he kept his eyes on the two remaining enemies, the third collapsed several meters away and not rising.

The creatures circled, snarling and biting at air, waiting for an opening, but Jason was trained well. He did not allow either from his sight, heart hammering a mile a minute and eyes blown wide with fear. His blade dripped with beast blood.

Finally, one lost its patience and charged. Jason dodged, feeling hot air close to his face from the beast's foul breath. He brought his dagger behind and swung wildly, hammering it into its side as hard as he could with a shout. It's scream of pain nearly deafened him as it tumbled to the ground behind, Jason scrambling around to face it.

It was a mistake.

When Jason turned, he lost track of the final beast, and it was on him in an instant. Adrenaline could not block the pain of massive jaws and needle teeth tearing into Jason's arm, and he went down with a cry, struggling with the weight of the sabertusk above him. It tore and twisted, snarling and holding firm with wicked teeth, and Jason could do little but scream and writhe in an attempt to throw off this relentless predator.

This is it, he thought senselessly, this is where I die. Taken out in some fictional place far from his home and by some random wild animal. Wasn't he brought here for a purpose? Was whatever force that brought him here just going to let him die in the middle of this godforsaken desert? Jason was never one to pray, never having believed in a god to begin with, but he prayed now. To whom or what, he didn't know, but pray he did.

Just when Jason believed it the end of the road, deafening cracks filled the air like thunder, the unmistakable sound of gunfire tearing through the beast above him. It jerked violently, fell still, then fell to the side, lifeless. For one wild moment, Jason stared in shock, believing that Prompto had come back to save him against all odds. But when he looked up, it was not the familiar blond that greeted him, but an old man.

Balding, over the hill but fit, the weathered man lowered his antique looking gun and holstered it inside of worn brown clothes. Without hesitation, the stranger rushed to Jason's side and crouched down, helping the younger man to a sitting position. Jason allowed the contact with a pained hiss, cradling his mangled arm to his bleeding sides. "Sure did a number on you," the stranger said dryly, concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, no kidding," Jason choked, voice shaking. "Thanks." He tried to move but collapsed back with a strangled cry.

"Whoa, easy there, kid. Here." Jason felt something cool pressed into his hand and he stared at it blankly. A crystal vial, filled with faint glowing light rested in his palm and after a split second, he recognized it. A potion. With a distinct feeling of unreality, he squeezed it and it shattered in his palm. Instantly, ice seemed to pour through his veins, burning his wounds painfully before the receding, leaving nothing but tickling in its wake.

"I'm afraid that won't do much for you other than slow the bleeding, just till we can get you to a town. It's the only one I had," he said gruffly, apologetically. Jason nodded, feeling his vision darken around the edges. He needed….he had to get to his own supply. He tried to summon the menu again, but he couldn't focus, pain blurring his sight. Come on, where were those ridiculous abilities when he needed them? He felt himself slipping away.

"Hey, none of that," the man said. "I need to know where I can take you. Do you live around here?"

"...Ham...ed" Jason tried, but it was getting increasingly difficult to move his lips.

"What was that?"

"Hammerhead," he gasped, and that seemed to do it. He passed out, falling blissfully into the darkness where pain could no longer reach him.

-o0o-

The icey, now familiar sensation of healing magic woke Jason some indiscernible time later. He groaned through the discomfort of the burn, but sighed in relief when it soothed his pain.

"Well, now, awake are we?" A cheerful voice filtered through the ringing in his ears. Black lashes fluttered as Jason forced open unwilling eyes, and a blurred vision of gold and red came into focus. The smiling face of a young woman greeted him, grease smudges spotting a tanned face. Something cold touched Jason's torso and he yelped in surprise. The girl giggled, short blond locks shaking with mirth. "Don't be frightened of little ol' me," she said, smiling. "I'm just getting all this blood off you, s'all."

True to her word, Jason glanced down his bare chest to see a rag in her work blackened fingers, the cloth already red with his dried blood. "D-ah! I'll do the rest, thanks," he stuttered, grabbing the cloth from her hand. Cindy, for who else could it be, raised her hands playfully in surrender before stepping back, knowing look on her face. Jason blushed, looking pointedly at her face only. It was one thing to see this vision of a woman in a videogame and appreciate the fan service, but quite another to face her in real life with a straight face.

Like everything else in this insane situation, Cindy didn't look quite like her rendered counterpart. For one, she was wearing more practical clothes (unfortunately); tight jeans and a full yellow jacked. Much more practical for garage work. Didn't stop her from showing off her impressive bust in a low cut tanktop, however, and with her bending over him like that, it was all Jason could to to remain polite. He looked anywhere but at her, finding himself inside Cid's garage, old Chevy look-alike on the jack and tools lying every which way. The garage doors were open, but blackness absorbed the light from the overhead fluorescents. Night then.

"What happened?" Jason asked, lifting the cloth to stare at his abdomen. Light white scars separated the tan of his skin, and he frowned. Wasn't the potion supposed to fully heal him? Wasn't that how those things worked? He inspected his arm and found the same faint marks.

As if reading his mind, Cindy shook her head sadly. "Sorry about the scars. Old man didn't get you here soon enough for the potions to heal you completely."

"Old man?" Jason questioned, shrugging lightly. At least they looked cool. And, you know, he was alive. That counted for something.

Cindy's face lit up and she shifted her weight dramatically. "Well, that'd be Dave! He found you fight'n off a bunch of sabertusks all on your own! What were you thinking?" she finished with a frown. "Where's your team?"

"My...team?"

"You know," Cindy waved her hand. "The boys you fight with? Hunters don't usually take on beasts alone!"

"Oh, right. Team." Looked like he'd been mistaken for a hunter. That was fine with him. "Actually, you might have seen them recently. Prompto and his friends?"

"Prompto?"

"Short blond guy, traveling with the prince?" Jason described, a bit amused. Poor dude was enamored with this woman, and she didn't even know his name. How sad.

Recognition lit her face. "Oh! He was one of the boys with the Regalia! You apart of their group?"

Jason paused before shrugging with a tilted head. That sounded as good as anything else. "You seen them?"

"'Fraid you just missed 'em. They left not an hour before you showed up."

Jason slumped back onto the hard bench he lied on with a disappointed huff. What was he supposed to do now? If he remembered right, they would be on the way to Galdin Quay, and if they left an hour before he showed up, which had to be mid afternoon, they would be long gone by now. He glanced out the garage into the pitch of the night. There was no way he could catch up with all of the daemons prowling…

"Aw, cheer up! I'm sure they'll be back around soon. There's only one shop in Eos that they trust to repair their car, after all."

Jason just shrugged. He could only hope. Something niggled in the back of his mind, something he knew he'd forgotten. But he was too tired to think straight. With a yawn, he levered himself up in a sitting position, grimacing at the pull of dried blood on his skin. He picked up the towel and continued to wipe himself down. "So what happened to that man in the car? Did he make it out okay?"

"The man with the '87 VW Bug?" Cindy asked, plopping herself beside him. "Yeah, he and his daughter are over at Takka's singin' your praises."

Wait, the car models were actually the same here? But another thing caught his attention. "What do you mean, daughter?"

The young woman's eyes sparkled as she regarded him. "Little girl no older'n ten. You saved 'em both and they're doing just fine." Oh. He hadn't seen her. Warmth suffused his chest, glad he hadn't run. That right there was the reason he trained in the first place. If Jason hadn't found a passion in the martial arts, he would have joined the police force just for situations like this.

"Whelp," Cindy said, pushing to her feet. "I'd better get to cooking my old man some dinner. If you're feeling up to it, you should head to Takka's and get some grub. The caravan over yonder's all yours tonight." She began walking towards the exit door in the back, and Jason just sat for a few seconds, admiring the view. Shaking himself, he stood as well to leave.

"Um," he said before Cindy could get too far. "Do you think I could borrow a shirt?" His was destroyed after all.

Cindy looked over her shoulder, giving him a slow scan up and down. Jason shivered, frozen like a deer in the headlights as if she had run her hands up and down him instead. A smile made its way to Cindy's face as Jason's heated. "I think I could rustle up something. I'll leave it in the caravan for you. Now git, Takka's not gunna be open for much longer."

Gaping, the young man stared after her long after the door had shut. Physically shaking himself, he grumbled beneath his breath something that sounded suspiciously like 'women' and made his way into the night. Prompto could have her. She was a little too forward for Jason's taste. He laughed to himself as he thought of Nat and how he would have responded to such an obvious come on, along with a heavy dose of homesickness. Sighing, Jason shivered hard in the cool night air, shoving his hands in his pockets as he trudged past the convenience store and towards the brightly lit restaurant on the other side. This station, at least, was identical to how he remembered it.

Bypassing Takka's restaurant with barely a glance of disinterest, he made his way over to the camper, exhaustion pulling his limbs insistently. After the day he'd had, one'd think Jason would be starving, but he couldn't really bring himself to feel hunger, thoughts turned inward towards troubling matters.

How was he going to find Prompto again? They could be halfway across the country by now, and Jason for the life of him couldn't remember what was supposed to happen next. It had been over two months since he played the beginning of the game, and he'd admittedly rushed through the first part. There were many events he remembered vividly, such as the covenants with the Astrals, Lunafreya's death, the ending, of course...What a downer that was. Maybe he was just too tired at the moment. If he could just sleep for a while, maybe in the morning he could come up with a game plan. Jason hastened his steps towards the camper, eager for a decent night's rest.

He never made it.

A deafening rumble rolled over the land like thunder, and the ground beneath him shook. Jason stumbled with a gasp, looking around wildly for the source of the earth crashing disturbance. He froze, staring into the horizon with horror, heart plummeting into his chest only to slam back up into his throat.

The people idly milling about in the store and Takka's all rushed out to join him in the lot. Gasps and cries raised from everyone as they all stared into the horizon. Cindy burst from the garage, an old man clutching her arm, and she covered her mouth with a quiet gasp, tears filling her eyes as the old man cursed loudly.

The horizon glowed red, the entire eastern hemisphere ablaze. Rumbles shook the earth and concussed the air, but it could not drown out the grief and fear of the people around Jason, nor the pounding of his heart. This was it, this was what Jason was failing to remember all this time. He never knew how it happened, only that it did, and that this very moment is what sets off the entire sequence of events that leads this world into darkness.

Far from where he stood, and heedless of him or the happenstances that brought him here to change it, Insomnia burned.

-o0o-

 _AN:_

 _And so the drama begins. It's Final Fantasy, of course there would be drama! Were you expecting all sunshine and rainbows? Haha. Anyway, for the sake of this story, Jason was never interested in watching Kingsglaive, so he didn't know this was going to happen. Sucks to be him right now!_

 _Next few chapters will be sad, and nobody's happy :( But! Gotta love FFXV for all of its silly moments too! Lots of those to come :D Also, Jason's methods are going to be...unorthodox. That's going to be so fun to write!_

 _Lol, Cindy knows how to work those boys ;) Special Power: Sex Appeal activate!_


	9. Complications

" _Unintelligible reports flood from Insomnia–"_

" _The death toll is still unknown, but can be estimated in the thousands–"_

" _A not so shocking betrayal from the chancellor of Nifelheim during the peace treaty signing last night lead to–"_

Jason pinched his eyes shut and ground his forehead into the smooth counter below with a loud groan, trying to drown out the several radios throughout the small diner fighting for attention. There were few people remaining in Hammerhead after the tragedy they all witnessed the night before, most fleeing as far from Insomnia as they could get. The rest just sat in silence, some too shocked to react while others sobbed quietly as the jumbled news feeds washed over them all.

It was no surprise that no one really knew what happened. The news was a mess of speculation and false reports, but the basic story was the same. There was a peace treaty signing at the Citadel. Something went wrong. Now half the city–and it's population–lies in ruins beneath the full devastation of a Nifelheim attack.

Insomnia had fallen.

The grief about Hammerhead was palpable, and no matter how Jason wanted to deny any of this was happening, stifling stabs of guilt rendered him immobile for the last twelve or so hours, punctuated by the audible cries of the people around him.

He didn't think he had any real reason to feel guilty, but there was no doubt that he did. He didn't know that any of this was going to happen, though he _should_ have. He should have remembered that this is the way the game started, that this event was the catalyst for every bad thing that happens in the future, but he had been too damn self absorbed to even think to warn someone.

Warn them of what, he thought caustically for the nth time that morning. That Insomnia was going to be destroyed? How you ask? I don't know, it just will! That would have gone over well. He literally had no idea how it happened other than a vague recollection that there was a movie he could have watched before playing the game that explained it. And the game totally glossed over that part, so of course he forgot.

Didn't mean he felt any better about it though…

A little girl started bawling loudly behind him, and Jason flinched, clenching his eyes even tighter as if it would help to block it out. There was a shuffling of shushes and movement before the cries went quiet, the parent having carried the child into the dreary weather outside. Jason shifted uncomfortably, but his bunched shoulders did not release, though they were so tight they screamed at him nearly as painfully as his clenched jaw.

A clank beside him jerked Jason out of his own dark thoughts, and he rolled his head to the side to peer at a red bowl now steaming beside his face. He sat up slowly for the first time in hours, wincing as his sore neck protested. He found a dark skinned man staring at him from across the counter, looking just as haggard as Jason felt. Takka, if Jason remembered correctly. Not that he could have forgotten, the guy's name was plastered all over the restaurant. He blinked, looking between him and the bowl next to Jason's hand. "Um… What?"

"Eat up," Takka said gruffly. "Been sitting there for hours. Look like you could use a good meal."

"But I don't have any…" Jason scrambled for the name of the currency in this game, but gave up after a sharp throb in his temple. Instead, he just lifted his hand and gestured vaguely in a universal sign for money. That was a lie though, he had plenty from Noctis, but the last thing he needed right now as to feel more guilt about stealing from the guy. Especially since it might actually be his fault that Noctis' country was in shambles…

No. He couldn't think like that. He would drive himself insane.

But Takka wasn't having it anyway. He pointed commandingly at the bowl and merely said, "Eat," before walking away with several more bowls, distributing them indiscriminately about the room.

Jason dragged his eyes back to the bowl, taking in some kind of bean stew without much interest. In fact, his stomach couldn't have felt any less hungry right now, rather on the verge of expelling its nonexistent contents at any moment. He picked up the plastic spoon and poked at it, watching the colorful beans swirl around in the thin broth.

"You really should eat that," Cindy said, dropping onto a stool beside him with a tired sigh, her own bowl set down gently before her. Like everyone else in the room, she looked like death warmed over, deep purple bags beneath bloodshot eyes and a defeated slump to her shoulders. Gone was the flamboyance he saw from her just the day before, leaving a solemn young woman in its wake. There was a definite depth in those serious blue eyes that Jason did not expect to see in this girl who, for all intents and purposes, was only meant to be male fanservice. It only drove home the fact that none of this was the fabrication it was meant to be.

"...Did you know anyone from Insomnia?" Jason asked quietly, curious despite himself. Slowly, he took a spoonful of the broth and sipped it idly. Bland.

Cindy shook her head. "No. My paw' did though."

That's right. Cid and the King were friends or something...Jason wanted to hear more, but Cindy wasn't elaborating and Jason didn't push. For several minutes, both youths ate in silence until nothing but dregs remained. Jason sighed, feeling a bit better despite himself. Maybe Takka had had a point.

"So what now?" Jason said, almost to himself. Cindy answered anyway.

"I don't know," she said quietly, wrapping her arms around midriff and looking down. "I suppose this means we are under the rule of Nifelheim now…What with the royal family bein' dead…"

A spike of alarm shot through Jason and he sat up straight abruptly. "What do you mean dead?" he demanded, probably louder than necessary.

Cindy blinked in surprise. "Haven't you heard? King Regis, Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya have all been declared dead."

Jason's head swirled in confusion. Dead? How? That didn't make any sense. Regis he remembered dying, but Lunafreya and Noctis? Did that mean all was already lost? He almost opened his mouth to demand answers, but stopped himself. Okay, shut up and think. This happened in the game. Noctis and Luna are alive and about to start their separate journeys. He slumped back down slowly, willing his heart rate to decrease.

Remember. You know what is going to happen next. Noctis discovers what happens at Galdin Quay. Then they go back to Insomnia for proof. Then they end up….Urgh, what was next? They start to look for the ancient weapons of past kings, which means they'll be heading for the first dungeon soon in North Leide.

Jason had to intercept them.

He got so far as to stand to charge off into the desert to a place he knew they would be, when a thought crossed his mind. Why? Why was he trying to rejoin their group?

He wasn't prepared to fight in a war. In fact, he severely doubted he could even handle the kind of fighting and battles he knew those four were going to get caught up in. He barely survived a few low level beasts! And besides, this wasn't his fight, wasn't his home or even his _universe_. What did he owe these people? Certainly not his life! He just wanted to go _home_.

A soft hand on his jolted Jason out of himself, and he met the startled eyes of Cindy, her blond brow furrowed in concern. "You alright, there?" Jason wanted to snap, say the harsh words on the tip of his tongue, but something in that look had the young man melting into her touch instead. He slumped back down in his seat, quietly cursing his soft spot for pretty blonds. But the fight was already drained out of him, and he was back to feeling disgusted with himself for his selfishness. Man, he was a mess. He'd already been over this, already decided. Now he just had to stick to his guns.

"Hey, I know things look bad now, be we Lucians are a hardy bunch," Cindy said, rubbing his hand reassuringly. "We'll get by somehow."

 _I'm not one of you,_ Jason thought, _this has nothing to do with me._ But then he immediately felt bad. This might not have anything to do with him, but this young woman beside him… he knew her fate, knew about the ten years of darkness that would consume her world and what she–and everyone here–would have to endure. He might not have any magical fighting skills, but there was something he could do to help prevent it.

And damn him if he wasn't at least going to try. It wasn't like he was going to be able to go home anytime soon anyway…At the very least, he could tell those four what he knew was going to happen so they could change their own fates.

This stupid game with its shitty ending was going _down._

Jason grabbed Cindy by the hand and pulled her in for a hug, soft fabric over her ample chest rubbing against his still bare torso. She gave a startled little hum, but didn't pull away, and Jason couldn't find it in himself to even be embarrassed by hugging a complete stranger. Hey, he would take comfort where he could. After a second, he pulled back to look into Cindy's bewildered but understanding face. He smiled crookedly. How had he ever thought this woman was shallow? "Thanks," he said.

"Any time," She replied bemusedly, a bit of that sparkle returning. Jason nodded and was about to leave once more, when she stopped him with a firm grip. "Whoa there, where do you think you're going?"

"I have to find my friends." Jason responded.

Cindy shook her head, frowning. "It's too dangerous to go out there on your own. You don't have a weapon. Hell, you don't even have a _shirt._ "

"Erm." Jason mumbled, looking down. She had a point. With all the confusion the previous night, his clothing was a little low on his priority list.

"C'mon," Cindy started dragging him to the door. "Paw Paw will set you up. Follow me!"

"W-wait!" But the young woman was no longer listening, dragging him along in a deceptively strong hand. She had about half dragged him all the way back to the garage when she stopped abruptly, turning around with some of her old flourish.

"Now, wait just a second! I don't even know your name!" She shifted to one hip and pointed her thumb at her face, looking through her lashes coquettishly. "My name's Cindy."

Jason let out a loud guffaw of disbelief before clearing his throat. He was getting to like this girl more and more every second. "Jason. Nice to meet you, girl~" he responded, feeling more playful than he had since...well, since before all this started. He couldn't help it. Her smile was contagious.

"Well, nice to meet you too! Come on, I'll get you fixed before you set out." They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence. Jason grumbled a bit as the first drops of rain began to tickle his skin, and they picked up their pace until they stood within the dry garage.

"Paw," Cindy called, striding inside with a purpose. "I've got a fella here who–oh, sorry, I didn't realize you had company." She stopped short, Jason nearly running smack into her, and both took in the new addition before them.

Cid sat on a stool beside a small table, a picture frame clutched in his hand, wrinkled brow furrowed over dark eyes. A younger man, perhaps in his forties, stood tall beside him. There was nothing terribly remarkable about him–he dressed in all black, had short military cut brown hair and an expression so serious, it looked permanently etched into his face–but sparks of recognition were going off in Jason's head so hard they were practically fireworks. Jason knew this man. He was–

"Cor!" Jason blurted without thinking. Then snapped his jaw shut with immediate regret as those intense eyes practically bore a hole in him. Uh oh.

Faster than Jason could even blink, he was slammed up to the wall, an iron arm across his chest and feet dangling from the floor. Jason barely had enough sense to know _not to fight back you idiot_ before he did something _else_ that would get him killed. Those intense eyes were in his face, promising death, and he barely heard Cindy's startled shriek and Cid's colorful cursing.

"Who are you?" Cor growled threateningly, and Jason might have answered had he had any breath in his lungs.

"What in the–put that kid down, boy, before you give him a heart attack," Cid snapped, but Cor barely flinched.

"How do you know me?" He demanded, and Jason scrambled for an answer.

"I'm a friend of–Prompto's–" Jason gasped, and my god, if looks could kill, Jason would be on FIRE.

At Prompto's name, though, Cor's eyes flashed with recognition and imperceptibly softened. He stepped back and Jason fell to his feet, gasping as the iron band across his chest eased. "My apologies," Cor said calmly as if he hadn't nearly strangled the poor man. "I hadn't realized you were Insomnian. You don't look it." That would be because I'm not, Jason thought, but hell if he was going to say that out loud now.

"...Yeah," Jason muttered, stepping away slowly. He understood, but that didn't mean he was going to let his guard down. The guy literally just stepped out of a war zone. Jason should have been more careful. The tension in the room only continued to skyrocket as he was examined from head to toe, but Jason ignored it. He remembered this man. He fought alongside Noctis and the guys for a little bit so he might know where they are. "Have you seen Prompto? Do you know where he is?"

Cor's eyes narrowed. "Who wants to know?"

"My name is Jason. I'm Prompto's friend–"

"I know all of Prompto's friends," Cor cut him off. "Why have I never seen you before?"

Jason's jaw dropped, speechless. How did this guy know all of Prompto's friends? Had he had him watched? He tried to wrack his brain to remember if he had ever seen the two interact, but other than hero worship from Prompto, he was coming up empty. Did they have some sort of relationship? More importantly, Cor was starting to glare again, and if the growing tension in the room got any thicker, Jason might actually suffocate. What did he say? What would get Cor to help him? That he only met Prompto recently? That would only make him more suspicious!

A little niggling of an idea tickled Jason's mind and he frowned. Should he…? It seemed to work on everyone else…He didn't want to trust whatever force that was manipulating him and Prompto, though. It could be making him say anything, and he wouldn't know unless someone parroted it back to him. No, he would just have to improvise and hope he could convince them on his own.

Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and looked Cor straight in the eyes. "Okay, I'm not just his friend. I'm a Messenger. A couple of days ago I was summoned during a battle and rescued Noctis and his group from red giants. I was meant to guide the prince through the ...darkness that's coming, but we got separated." He faltered at the completely unimpressed look in Cor's eyes, but forced himself to continue. "I ended up here after getting injured, but now I need to find them."

Cor just stared in stony silence. Cid snorted, crossing his arms. "Well, that is the biggest load of hogwash I have ever heard." Even Cindy was looking at him like he'd lost his damn marbles.

Jason pinched his lips together, inwardly panicking. Oh great, maybe he should have just told the truth so his words could get edited into something believable like before! If only he could hear what they heard so he could improvise better. "Tell the truth, boy," Cor growled, hand inching toward his sword. Oh geez, oh geez, he needed proof or he was going to be pulverized! Come on, think!

Cor twitched and Jason panicked, pulling up the game menu before he could get skewered. Calming music wrapped around him comfortingly and Jason gasped in relief as the room was erased by cool blue. Okay, Jason, what can you do to validate your story? He scanned through the menu. Hm… the last thing he wanted to do was pull a weapon. But maybe he could summon something else? After all, no one else in this world had a summoning ability besides Noctis and his friends since the king is dead. Right? So what…

He scanned through mundane objects frantically. He didn't know how much time he had to pull this off. Food? Fishing supplies? Camping gear? No, no, he needed something personal to the prince, was there anything in here like that? He flipped over to the treasures page. Some of it was junk, a lot of it was various animal parts...wait, what's this? With a feeling of triumph, Jason selected the object and exited the menu.

Reality flooded back into his senses. All three other occupants were staring at him in shock and Jason quickly held up his hand, a flash of blue sparks lighting up the room before something small and solid dropped into his palm.

Jason didn't know how much time had actually passed while he was looking for an object, but he hoped the white glow of his eyes that happens whenever he uses his abilities had been suitably impressive. If that wasn't convincing enough of his otherworldliness, then he hoped his summon would be. Indeed, Cor's eyes were locked onto the object in his palm. The younger man kept perfectly still and waited, holding his breath.

"Well I'll be," Cid said. "How in the hell did you get access to the prince's armiger?"

Jason stayed silent this time, as anything he said could compromise him. He could only wait and hope the two men would come to the right conclusion on their own. Cor stared at the object in Jason's hand before slowly plucking it up between gentle fingers. A small blue figurine of a fox, either very old or worn by its owner's worrying. Jason couldn't be sure what it was, but it resembled the small fox from the tutorial and it no doubt belonged to Noctis.

"Is that…?" Cid asked.

Cor nodded. "Regis's gift to Noctis after the attack." For a second, he just closed his eyes, and Jason almost thought he saw a flash of sadness before it disappeared. Cor's eyes snapped open abruptly. "You said you were a friend of Prompto, not Noctis. Explain."

Jason swallowed. "I–" he stalled, no longer sure if he should make up anything else, lest he get caught in a lie he can't back up some time down the road. He decided to go with the truth. "We're connected. He's the reason I'm in this world." Which, as far as Jason knew _was_ the truth. Prompto seemed to be the one who brought him here, and was probably the only one who could get him home. Hopefully.

Cor and Cid exchanged a long look, silence thick around them, communicating in a way known only by those with long association. Jason waited, heart pounding in his throat, not quite sure if they would believe him or not, but really _really_ hoping they would, lest he be back to square one with no idea how to move forward. And then it was over. Cid nodded before sitting back down. Cor looked to Jason and tossed the small figurine back to his fumbling hands. "Noctis contacted me shortly before I arrived. He and his crownsgaurd are on their way here."

Jason let out a sigh of relief he didn't even know he was holding. He already knew they lived of course, but there was still that little niggling of doubt that refused to ease until he heard it out loud. And they were on their way here! "Good," Jason said, shoulders slumping. "I'll just wait for them then."

Cor's eyes narrowed. "Not so fast, boy. You're coming with me."

"...Wait, what?" Jason gaped, mind stuttering to a halt.

The older man stepped forward until he was well into Jason's space, and though he was a bit shorter than him, Cor seemed to tower over him with his raw presence. "You say you're a Messenger, and maybe you are, but I'm not so sure. I will get the truth out of you before you get anywhere _near_ our remaining royal family." There was such finality to that deep timbre that Jason nearly bowed beneath. "Gear up and meet me in a half hour," he near growled, poking Jason in the bare chest before turning on his heel and stalking into the rain.

The young man stood stock still for several seconds, not entirely sure what just happened, but feeling like he got bowled over by a charging bear. He rubbed at the bruise already forming on his left peck and looked to Cid for answers.

"Cheh," the old man nearly spat. Okay, so no answers there. Crotchety bastard...

Cindy cleared her throat. "Well," she said, shaking off the tension in the room effortlessly. It had to be a special ability, because Jason was still shaking in his too large boots. "Best do what he says. Let's get you a shirt, then we can talk to the vendor outside and get you somethin' to fight with."

"Great," Jason grumbled, allowing himself to be lead by her capable hands. Fully dressed in some unnamed man's clothes and new bag stuffed with a spare outfit–Cindy refused to tell him who they belonged to, so Jason just assumed it was someone who no longer needed them–He found himself examining a wrack of weapons that Cindy assured she would pay for. This time. Jason had no doubt that he would pay in some form or other down the road.

After some perusing, he settled on a weapon he had the most practice with; a small pair of daggers. Still, he didn't feel quite comfortable. He excelled in hand to hand, not weapons...He could only hope he learned fast.

With a last goodbye from Cindy who disappeared back into the garage, Jason stood nervously in front of Hammerhead to await collection. Just what had he gotten himself into? He considered just hiding somewhere until Cor gave up and left–for like, a second. Dumb. Who would fall for that? But seriously, what was he doing going with this guy? What if Cor decided he didn't like Jason's answers and just left him to rot in the desert or something?

Why did he have to open his big stupid mouth?!

But it was much, much too late. Cor the Immortal was clearly not someone who you messed with, and Jason was not going to be able to do anything the man didn't want him too. And that included bailing and meeting up with the prince without his permission. He would just have to make him believe. Somehow.

The roar of an engine rumbled from behind the garage and an inconspicuous motorcycle pulled smoothly to the front, propelling its black clad rider effortlessly through the gathering moisture on the ground. Cor placed his leather boot firmly on the ground with an audible splash. The older man raised a brow when Jason didn't move.

"On," he commanded, tossing a spare helmet into Jason's chest. Hard.

Jason huffed, sternum smarting. What a jerk. With one last longing look at the garage–seriously, what was he thinking?–he slipped the helmet over his head and climbed on, wrapping his arms around the sturdy midsection of a man who might just kill him if he so much as blinked wrong.

As the motorcycle pulled out of Hammerhead with a roar and way more g-force than strictly necessary, Jason had to wonder if he would even survive long enough to find Prompto again.

-o0o-

 _AN:_

 _Bit longer before the boys are reunited. Which, considering the state Noctis is in, is probably good for Jason's health haha. That reunion will be… interesting. And by interesting I mean possibly violent._

 _Cor's going to have a role bigger than the seemingly random one he got in the game. I mean? Why was he even there he doesn't really do anything? So in other words ffxv, I reject your reality and substitute my own. Also going to accept some fanfiction cannon (is that a thing? I think I'm using that word wrong...) that the general community has come up with in regards to his past with Prompto. Thanks tumbler._

 _Thanks for the support everyone! Glad to entertain you. See you next time._


	10. Test

Hours passed slowly by as the machine beneath Jason rattled with the dull roar that he had long since blocked out. Rain pattered against his barely protected skin, soaking the long sleeves of his borrowed jacket, the brown fabric long having darkened to black as he was soaked through. Any thoughts of skepticism when he first put it on–they were in a desert, after all– had been dissuaded by relief that his skin was not exposed to the unpleasant elements. The rain was ice against his sunburns despite the clothes though, and Jason was miserable. He shivered violently and huddled into Cor's almost unbearably hot back, and no amount of disdain from Cor could convince him to ease off.

Not like he had a choice. Besides, the taciturn man hadn't so much as glanced back at him since they began this awful ride.

Jason was not quite sure how long they had been riding, but he could swear it was far longer than should be possible. The bike wasn't that large, and couldn't possibly hold enough fuel to last them what felt like well over four hours. But then again, what the hell did he know? Apparently the Regalia could make laps around the country on one tank, so maybe fantasy fuel was more efficient or something. Whatever the case, Jason's backside had long gone numb from the rough vibrations from this miserable machine and his muscles were trembling with exhaustion from the persistent death grip he held on Cor.

Had he mentioned he really hated riding motorcycles? Had he also mentioned he really hated riding motorcycles while it rained ice in a fantasy desert while clinging to a fantasy asshole who was taking him to an unknown fantasy destination while he had absolutely no control over his situation–

Jason sucked in a deep, shuddering breath, willing himself to calm down. His ribs ached from the forceful exhale as he brought himself back from a frustrated hissy fit for the fifth time in as many hours. He wasn't a drama queen, he really wasn't, it was just–he might be at the end of his rope at this point. He just wanted to sleep...Maybe staying up all night hadn't been such a good idea after all…

It took Jason several moments to notice that the bike had slowed significantly, but he did notice when its vibrations intensified. He peeled his tired eyes open forcefully, having closed them sometime in the second hour of boring desert scenery, and found them cruising down a dirt road. It was apparent why Cor had slowed; the ground beneath them was drenched with rain, causing the clay to run like peanut butter beneath their tires. Jason leaned back just slightly and scanned the horizon with blurred vision. Yup, still in the middle of nowhere as far as he could see. Visibility was poor due to the steady rain, so he doubted he would be able to tell where they were anyway. With tired sigh, he let his head thunk back onto Cor's shoulder, long past the point of caring whether he bothered the man or not. Cor might have grumbled something to him, but over the roar and vibration of the engine, Jason could've just imagined it.

Jason barely reacted when they finally came to a stop, other than to shudder weakly as the engine shut off. Instantly, his body went completely numb in the absence of vibrations, and the silence was deafening but for an irritation ringing in his ears.

"You alive back there, kid?", Cor said, words unnaturally loud against the quiet pattering of rain against Jason's helmet. He didn't seem hostile anymore, which was a definite plus at this point. But he didn't exactly sound sympathetic either.

"Debatable," Jason grunted back, voice weak even to his own ears. He slowly leaned back, releasing his death grip on Cor's body and hissing as his sore fingers cracked and moved for the first time in hours. The older man didn't move as Jason unwound from him and with a heave, Jason used his back to leverage himself off of the bike. He groaned as he stood, sore legs wobbling beneath him almost enough to send him face down in the dirt, but he dismissed it willfully, moving about to get circulation back into his poor backside.

Jason could hear Cor moving behind him, the dull thump of his boots as he dismounted and began walking. Jason didn't turn, instead taking a moment to remove his helmet and just breathe. Rain pattered against his face and hair, drenching it instantly and sending a shiver down his spine. But even that was so much better than the damned helmet, with its musty old sweat smell that he had been inhaling for the last several hours. Very unpleasant. Still, he wouldn't mind getting out of this rain. Like, now.

Jason scanned around them again and nearly melted with relief when he realized where Cor was headed. A few yards away stood a small house–more of a shack, really, but the young man was far from complaining at this point. With slightly unsteady steps, he trudged through the mud and followed the older man to the darkened house. It looked abandoned, outside dull and brown. If it had ever been painted, the color had long been worn away. It still had windows though, and a tall floodlight beside it that still looked like it functioned. Cor reached the door and it opened easily, clearly not locked, and stepped inside. Jason followed, and was surprised to find the inside much better maintained than out. There was only one room containing a small kitchenette, a couple of cots and a small couch. Light filtered in dully from the outside through grimy windows, and it hardly looked lived in. A door led out the back.

Cor shuffled into the corner, leaning over a small generator and humming to himself. Jason closed the door firmly behind himself, but stayed where he was, unsure.

"What is this place?"

Cor didn't even glance at him, hands busy over the contraption in front of him. "Hunter outpost. They're used as waystations for hunting parties, and are kept well stocked." His shoulders jerked hard, and the generator grumbled to life, immediately putting off heat. The floodlight outside flickered on. Cor stood with a quiet grunt and turned around to the still unmoving young man standing in the doorway. Cor raised a brow, but did not say any more, instead dismissing Jason and beginning to peel off his wet clothes. A sodden black jacket was thrown over the back of the couch, quickly followed by a equally drenched shirt.

Jason frowned, averting his eyes from the man's heavily scarred torso, frozen with nerves. He still felt unsure, like he was walking on thin ice. Something about Cor put him on edge–not surprising. The man had outright attacked him when they first met. At least for the moment, though, he didn't seem to see Jason as a threat. Otherwise he wouldn't be letting down his guard like this, setting his weapons aside. Jason didn't know if he could do the same.

But another violent shiver wracking his frame convinced Jason that Cor had the right idea. He wasn't paying any attention to him in any case, pulling a dry pair of jeans on before wandering over to the kitchenette to rifle through the cabinets. It took Jason reminding himself that if Cor wanted to hurt him he would have already done so before he gave into his need to be dry and warm.

With a heavy sigh, Jason allowed himself to slump against the wall, dropping his bag on the floor carelessly and working on his boots with numbed fingers. They were uncooperative, shaking badly, and Jason was reminded that he had hardly eaten anything for days other than some weak stew. Man, he would have given anything for some nice meaty tacos, or better yet, some cheesy lasagna...Urgh. His stomach growled loudly, but he focused as he finally pulled the boots off his feet with a wet suction sound. He grimaced in disgust as he peeled the sodden socks from his pruned feet. The rest of his clothes followed suit soon after, and he sighed in relief as his frigid skin was warmed by the now heated air, courtesy of the generator buzzing in the corner.

He was in the process of pulling on a dry pair of pants when he felt eyes burn into the back of his neck. With a shudder, the intrusive thought that he was alone in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger made stomach flutter anew with nerves. Straightening, he turned around and carefully glanced at Cor, whose eyes were on him unerringly watching his every move beneath dark brows. He stood against the counter, arms crossed over his bare chest, not having bothered to put on a shirt. And Jason wasn't intimidated by his obvious strength and the battle experience he could see littered over his skin like a macabre tattoo. Not at all.

"What," Jason growled, turning around defensively.

"You've fought a pack of voretooths," Cor stated.

Jason blinked in surprise, not seeing where this came from. Cor's eyes flickered downward and Jason looked at himself, seeing clearly the white scars against his side. Right. "Sabertusks," he corrects. Cor's eyebrow twitched.

"And red giants?" Now he sounded skeptical.

Jason could feel irritation creeping up on him once again, but pushed it down. "I didn't fight them, no."

"You said you rescued Noctis and his crownsguard from two red giants."

The subtle accusation in Cor's tone was making it really hard to hold onto his temper, but Jason persevered. "I did." Cor's eyes narrowed imperceptibly.

"How?"

"I…" Jason let out a huge breath, already knowing how this was going to sound but too freaking tired to tell anything but the truth. "I stopped time."

Silence fell between them like a heavy blanket for several moments as Jason waited for a reaction, any reaction. But Cor gave him none. He just continued to stare as if reading Jason like some encrypted code he needed to decipher. Jason vaguely wondered if the other man heard what he actually said, or if he'd been Filtered again. That's what he'd decided to call it. It kind of sucked, but maybe he could consider it a sort of power, if only to make himself feel better about this whole situation. He continued dressing and shut out the older man's presence, figuring that he would speak when he was ready. Dry and warm once again, he allowed himself to sink into the nearest cot, the one farthest from the other man as he could possibly get. Not that it was very far, considering the place was smaller even than his apartment. He was hungry, but too tired to deal with it at the moment. He just wanted to sleep. Maybe when he woke, he would have more patience to deal with his new broody companion.

He was out the second his head hit the pillow.

-o0o-

Jason woke some indeterminable amount of time later to the distinct sound of pots clanking. Jason couldn't be sure, but he didn't feel like he'd gotten much sleep. Low and behold, when he managed to peel his eyes open, it was barely sunset, the clouds a dull orange in the darkening evening. It had only been a couple hours.

Still, it was enough that his mind had cleared somewhat at least. The smell of cooking food tickled his nose and his stomach growled loudly in response.

An amused snort from the other side of the room reminded him unpleasantly that he was not alone, and Jason sat up with a groan. Cor stood by the stove, cooking...something in a battered old pot. Actually, Jason was surprised the stove worked at all, considering how old it looked.

"What's cookin', good lookin'?", Jason said absently through a jaw cracking yawn, stretching his sore limbs above his head.

"Rabbit," Cor said matter-of-fact, not even reacting to Jason's joke. Tch. No sense of humor.

"Where did you get...no, you know what, never mind," Jason muttered. "I don't want to know." He didn't even care at this point, as long as Cor was going to share with him. Eyeing the two worn plates sitting on the counter next to him, it looked like he would. Cor poked at the rabbit meat with a blade before stabbing it and plopping it onto one of the plates. He shoved it aside towards Jason with a quiet command to "Eat," before taking the other chunk of meat and moving to stand by the window, staring out into the darkening night with focused eyes. The rain had drizzled to a stop, the flood light piercing through the slight mist with ease. Jason eyed the growing darkness with trepidation, trying to remind himself that demons didn't come anywhere near floodlights.

To distract himself, he grabbed the plate and looked around for a fork. Finding none, he sat back down with a shrug and began peeling off bits and popping them into his mouth. Bland. And gamey. But Jason's stomach definitely wasn't going to complain. He practically inhaled it.

Now that he had rested and eaten though, his thoughts turned towards his current situation. "Where are we going?"

Cor didn't take his eyes from the window. "We are headed north. You should rest. We are moving out in a few hours."

A small thrill of alarm shot through Jason. "Whoa, what do you mean a few hours? It will still be dark out."

Cor turned to him finally, words clipped. "Yes, it will. There is an abandoned Nifelheim base not far from here. We are going to investigate it. You will be glad for the cover of darkness once we arrive."

Jason spluttered in disbelief, not even sure where to start with that insanity. "Wha–but the daemons–wait, a base? Why are we going there?"

"To investigate," Cor repeated slowly, as if talking to a particularly thick child. "There has been sightings of some suspicious activity, and since the recent occupation of Insomnia, I am not leaving anything to chance."

"Okay, yeah, whatever! But why are you taking _me?"_

"Because, Messenger," Cor practically growled, taking slow steps toward Jason, who froze. "I have work to do, and you will not be leaving my sight until I am sure you are not a threat." He stopped several feet away, but Jason dared not move. "Besides, we shall see the truth of your abilities in battle."

Jason gulped audibly as Cor turned away, only allowing himself to breathe once the older man resumed his vigil at the window. The white light of the floodlights cast harsh shadows across his face. The question of what would happen to him should he fail this 'test' burned Jason's tongue, but he was unfortunately sure he already knew the answer to that…

He propped himself up against the wall, knowing he would get no more rest this night, not with the way his heart pumped adrenaline through his veins. To say he was afraid was a vast understatement. What had he gotten himself into?! They were going to storm a Nifelheim base?! Or rather, Cor was going to storm. Jason? He was just going to get himself killed! Taking a deep, shuddering breath, the young man forced himself to remain silent. Not that Cor wasn't going to see his panic anyway, they were in too close quarters for that, but Jason really didn't need the man's opinion of him to lower any further. He drew a knee up to his chest and buried his face in it in a shaky semblance of rest.

Okay, calm down. He could do this. He had abilities here, abilities he had never had before in his own world. He could stop time. He could heal himself if he got injured, summon different types of weapons...that he didn't know how to use. Juuust great. He would just have to hope he knew enough to survive.

Jason isn't sure how much time passes as he psyches himself up for what he knows is coming. The world is completely blocked out for just a while, and he forces himself to relax as much as possible. The rain has stopped, leaving him in eerie silence. It isn't easy, but he sort of nods off for a little while, body too exhausted to hold taught any longer. Muddled dreams make their way through his consciousness, and he is relieved that they are normal; a vague collection of comforting memories. In one, he's just sitting with his small group of friends in the restaurant beneath Stonewalls. Just talking. Nat pushes one of their friend's shoulders lightly and she laughs, copper hair catching the light. Nat looks over to him, and smiles.

A harsh jolt in the bed beneath him has Jason startling awake. Cor stands at the end of the bed, immune to the nasty glare Jason gives him. "Gear up. We leave in five." He's already dressed in his black jacket, sword strapped to his hip. With one last look, he spins on his heel and leaves the shack, the door shutting behind him with finality.

Heart hammering in his chest, Jason levers himself to his feet, shaking off the numbness dragging his limbs with some effort. He takes his time pulling his still damp leathers on, checking over his daggers to make sure they are in place. As a final thought, he searches for something to tie his hair back and grimaces when he finds nothing resembling a hair tie. He of course hadn't brought any with him on his way through the magical TV portal. Figures. With a resigned sigh, he pulled a decent sized string from the threadbare couch and snapped it off.

He joined Cor outside, still fumbling a bit with his awkward makeshift tie. Finally it was in place, locking his black waves into a small bun at the back of his head. He huffs in irritation as a few escape to flutter around his eyes, not for the first time cursing his love for long hair. But it would have to do. As he stepped up beside Cor, who glared into the darkness beyond their small globe of light, he scanned the horizon fearfully.

"Won't daemons attack us if we leave the light?", he asked quietly, afraid to attract attention.

"We can handle them," Cor said matter-of-factly. "The small ones are weak, and the larger ones can be seen a mile away if one is paying attention. You've faced red giants, so this should be old hat for you."

His voice dripped with sarcasm, and Jason scowled. "No," he said, tired of the jibes but not entirely sure what Cor wanted from him. "Those were the first daemons I ever encountered. I'm not from here."

Cor narrowed his eyes, but didn't comment further. "Stick close to me and they won't bother us." He pointed to the horizon on their left. A faint light glowed against the overhanging clouds. "There is the base, about a mile from here. It should not be active. We will scout the perimeter before heading inside."

"And if we find something?"

"Take it out."

Jason swallowed audibly, nodding once. Cor took off at a light jog and Jason followed close on his heels, paranoia clogging his lungs at every little rustle of the wind through the grass. He couldn't believe this, couldn't believe he was doing this. But he was, so he forced himself to breathe and keep up. He'd done this before in the game, he knew what to expect...sort of. Except he didn't have nifty warping abilities.

N-no problem.

It took them ten minutes to reach the perimeter, no daemon encounters, much to Jason's relief. But that relief was short lived. A large concrete wall stood only meters away. "Is that light usually on?", he whispered.

"No." Jason shivered. Right.

Cor led them around the wall for several minutes, both huddled close to the ground and keeping their strides as quiet as possible. It was when they reached the far side of the wall that Jason's heart plummeted. There was a large gate with a road leading outward into the distance. It was open and unguarded but long sweeping beams of light cut through the darkness, catching every movement and wisp of mist to cross their paths.

Searchlights. That wasn't good.

Cor stopped and pulled Jason close to the ground, hand firmly on his shoulder to keep him still. "Recon first. We go in, get intel, and get out. Don't get caught."

With that oh-so-helpful advice, and without even waiting for an acknowledgment, Cor bolted forward at a dead run, hugging the wall and avoiding the searchlights with ease. Jason cursed in every language he knew in his head as he threw himself after him, desperately trying to match Cor's silent strides with his own frantic ones. Light swept the ground above, beside and behind them, but Cor navigated them through it effortlessly until they reached the wide gate and ducked inside. Jason nearly rammed into Cor when he crouched behind some crates in the shadows.

Cor stared at him, observing Jason quietly as he tried to catch his breath. Jason ignored him, scanning their surroundings fearfully and cringing at every perceived shadow. But the place seemed empty. The base was sectioned off by chain linked fences, crates of supplies and weapons stacked atop each other surrounding a collection of huge warehouses in the center. Lights flooded the area, but as far as Jason could tell, there was no one here. He looked to the top of the searchlight towers and found nothing as well, the lights automated.

He didn't know what to think about that. Something felt off.

Cor didn't give him much time to contemplate this, however, moving off into the quiet with near silent footsteps. Jason followed without question, eyes darting this way and that. Something was bothering him though. This base didn't look active. He remembered taking them down in the game, and usually there was this big tower that put off some kind of red light energy source? But there was no sign of anything like that. In fact, there didn't seem to be any sign of anything at all. He tore his eyes from the dark corners of their surroundings to focus back on Cor, not wanting to trip the man up again with his bumbling. He stopped dead in his tracks.

Cor was gone.

Jason crouched down, frozen in place, the only sound he could hear a pounding coming from his own body. "Cor…" he whispered, a barely there sound in the silence of the base. He wanted to try again, but fear of getting discovered by an enemy held him in check. Instead he scanned about himself nervously, looking for any sign of the man. Where had he gone?! Jason had only looked away from him for a second!

Okay, calm down, Jason. You can handle this. Move forward. Find him.

Jason took a cautious step forward, then another, even more paranoid than before. Something wasn't right, and now he'd straight up lost his guide! He briefly considered just getting the hell out of dodge, but then what would he do? He'd just be some lost man in the desert with no real knowledge of where to go or what to do. No. He needed to find Cor. And Cor would be focused on the mission. What was it he said to do?

Recon. Get intel. If you find something, take it out.

Right, that's super helpful. But he didn't have much of a choice at this point.

Taking a deep breath, Jason crouched down low to the ground and continued forward. He checked carefully around every corner, making absolute certain it was clear before moving on, making his way steadily to the center of the base. As he moved along, crates became machines of war, the tall mechs bigger in person than he ever imagined. Tanks loomed over him and he had to force himself past them, having zero desire to ever see them in action. He passed through inactive gates, peering up into every stairway and scaffolding with trepidation.

Then he saw them.

His heart nearly leapt from his skin as he spotted a line of soldiers standing silently beneath a flickering yellow streetlight. He jerked back around the corner in fright, adrenaline pumping through him so strongly that his hands trembled from it. A second passed, then another, and Jason realized with a shiver of relief that they hadn't seen them. He cautiously peeked back around the corner. The soldiers hadn't moved.

It took several seconds of numb fear muddling his thoughts before Jason realized the obvious. Right. They were Magitech axemen. The base wasn't active, so neither were they. Cautiously, Jason forced himself from behind the corner and approached them, curious. No glowing red eyes peered from beneath their gunmetal grey helmets. He moved closer and reached out a trembling hand to touch one on the chestplate.

It was cold. Empty.

It was kind of hard to believe that there were daemons in there and–what used to be–a human. He shuddered, taking his hand back and backing away. Too real. Too real. He thought of Prompto's story all over again, this time truly considering how he must have felt to find out the truth. Prompto. He hoped he would be able to see him again soon. He owed him an apology. Possibly also owed him his first born child for what he said. Now that he'd come to grips with this reality, he couldn't believe the things he'd said to the guy, how he'd been so quick to tell him he wasn't real, that he didn't matter. He looked once more into the expressionless dead mask and felt an echo of Prompto's pain.

He hoped he could prevent him from ever having to go through what he knew was coming. But there was only one way to be sure of that. He had to get back to him. Which meant he had to complete this stupid mission so he could gain Cor's trust. "You'll get that apology, Prompto...See you soon," he whispered. With a determined frown, he turned away from the motionless figures and jogged back into the shadows towards the center of the base. Time to get this over with.

What Jason didn't see was an alarming flicker of red light, one that spread rapidly through the clearing as machinery whirred to life.

-o0o-

Cor didn't miss a single moment. He crouched low on a balcony of scaffolding, observing Jason below silently. He watched as he clumsily made his way through the inactive base, jumping at every shadow and flicker of light. He watched the boy–barely a man–move with obvious strength in his limbs, and tried to figure him out. He barely paid more than the slimmest attentions to the base itself. He knew it was inactive. He'd had his people look into it yesterday.

Clearly Jason was trained. Cor saw that the instant he walked into his presence for the first time back in Hammerhead. He did not miss the way Jason aborted his movements when Cor pinned him against the wall, felt the strength beneath his hands. He did not misunderstand what Jason stopped himself from doing on instinct. He wanted to fight back, but he did not. And yet, the young man held the daggers in his hands when he bought them as if they were snakes about to bite. To make things more complicated, he seemed familiar with the base, walking in all the right places to stay out of sight, looking into the correct lines of sight to spot enemies, yet he claimed he's never even been here. It was baffling, and not a little suspicious.

Cor might not have been the most observant person in the world when it came to reading people, but he always thought himself a good judge of character. But he just couldn't seem to suss out Jason's intentions.

He said he wasn't from here. Cor did not believe him.

Yes, With his black hair and tanned skin, he did not look like a man from Lucius, Nifelheim or even any other nationality that Cor had ever seen. But he had clearly recognized Cor in a manner of familiarity that went beyond just seeing his face in a newspaper or hearing stories of him. His eyes had widened in instant recognition and he said Cor's name with no hesitation, as if he knew him. One didn't come by that kind of familiarity unless they had actually met someone or seen them up close before.

If he was a spy, he was a very poor one. None of this made sense.

Cor moved along the scaffolding, following the young man from above. That left Jason's claim that he was a Messenger, which made even less sense. Now, Cor didn't pretend to understand the will of the Gods, but he had met a few Messengers before and none even remotely behaved as this man did. As for his supposed power, well, Cor would just have to see it to believe it. He had access to Nocits' armiger it appeared, and his eyes did glow unnaturally, but it could just be a form of foreign magic Cor had never witnessed. Besides that, Jason didn't even seem convinced of his own words.

The confusion in his eyes as he explained that he was connected to Prompto, the unsure way his gaze shifted when he explained how he came to be here...No, it was safe to say that Jason's story was either fabricated and his acting skills were terrible, or he really didn't know what was going on. Cor was starting to consider the latter. So then why did he want to get to the prince so badly…?

Cor tensed as Jason slowly approached an inactive Magitech axeman, as cautious as a frightened rabbit. He lightly touched it before seeming to recoil into himself, stepping back. He spoke aloud, but Cor was too far away to hear. He looked sad.

Interesting. Did the boy know what the soldiers were? Cor considered Jason's back as he jogged deeper into the base. Somehow he had a feeling that if he could find out how Jason came across the knowledge he clearly possessed, it could go a long way in explaining who–or what–he is…

Cor's eyes widened in alarm as a wave of red flashed through the still MTs. The unmistakable whir of machinery coming to life had him on his feet in an instant, sprinting in the direction he saw Jason run, cursing himself for letting the boy out of his sight. The soldiers were coming online! Clearly this base hadn't been as inactive as he thought.

The clanging of metal against metal and a frantic shout had Cor cursing loudly as he leapt from the scaffolding before hitting the ground in a dead sprint. The air prickled around him as he ran, pressure building noticeably and a red haze settling around him.

Cor found Jason a split second later. The boy was backpedalling wildly, losing ground to a group of ten axemen who advanced towards him steadily. He had both daggers drawn, but looked like he barely knew how to hold them. The soldiers were rapidly backing him into a corner and Cor jolted forward, decapitating the nearest one in a flurry of sparks and daemon mist.

"Cor!" Jason shouted in utter relief as Cor stepped in front of him. "Where the hell have you been?!"

"Scouting," Cor shouted back. "We need to get out of here immediately."

"N-no shit! Ah!"

Cor chanced a look back to see Jason surrounded by three soldiers, all raising their axes to incapacitate them, but before they could even downswing, Jason kicked out and knocked them off balance before rolling out of range. A clank in front of him reminded Cor that he had his own enemies to face. With an audible growl, he faced forward and sprang into action. His vision narrowed to bright points of vulnerability, instinct born from many years of experience taking over his limbs easily. Automatic. Remorseless. Enemy after enemy fell beneath his blade as he sliced through them easily. These opponents were weak, merely fodder, and it took him no time at all to take out the seven of them in front of him. As their bodies dissipated into oily smoke, he wasted no time in turning to assist his unwilling companion. He paused.

Jason tumbled backward before landing once more on his feet. He watched his enemies slowly move forward, completely unperturbed by his first hit. The rushing in his ears muted all but the MTs in front of him, blocking out the squeals of metal as Cor tore soldiers apart a few metres away. They had taken him by surprise. He had thought the base completely inactive, and so had moved past the soldiers without even a glance. That turned out to be a mistake when a hand shot out and ripped him from his feet, machinery coming instantly to life. He had barely had enough time to pry his hands out of its grip with a violent yank, tearing his skin, before the thing split his head with its weapon. He kicked out and managed to fling himself from its reach at the last second, only to retreat as the rest of the unit came to life and pursued him.

He'd never felt so relieved in his life when Cor came to his rescue. But right now Cor had his own battle to face, and Jason needed to hold out until Cor could get to him. He gripped the knives in his hands harshly and held them in front of him in a standard fighting stance, weight weaving from foot to foot in preparation to move at an instant's notice. Their red glowing eyes bored into him as they advanced. He took a step back, then another. His back hit a solid wall and he gasped loudly as the three took advantage of his mistake, launching forward into a run, three axes held high.

Jason wasn't quite sure what happened next, and if asked, couldn't give a proper sequence of events.

The one who reached him first swung its axe towards his neck violently and Jason reacted on complete instinct, crossing the blades in his hands into an 'x' to block it with a wild shout. His arms jolted violently on impact, numbing them instantly, but Jason barely felt it, diverting the axe downward and using its momentum to swing his leg up into the soldier's face. It impacted with a loud crunch as its head twisted too far around to be natural before falling in a tangled heap. Jason screamed as he felt something crunch in his foot, but didn't have time to worry about it before the next two soldiers were in his face. He didn't even try to block their blows as he dove between them, coming up behind and lurching forward. When he managed to turn back around, an axe was once again coming for his face. Jason dropped the knives in his hands and instantly fell in to what he knew best. He bolted forward towards the arm of the soldier that didn't have a weapon and spun behind it. Once he had its back, he kicked viciously into the back of its knees so that it fell forward before stomping down on both ankles, breaking them. He jumped away before it could move.

A squealing wrench of metal had Jason's heart leaping out of his chest and he turned around. He brought his hands above his head to block with a startled shout, axe poised to take his head off.

It didn't move. Jason wrenched his eyes open with a gasp, taking in the frozen soldier above him. He looked down. There was a black blade protruding from its chest, sparks flickering and mingling with an acrid cloud of smoke. Slowly, it slumped down, revealing Cor standing behind it. He pulled his blade from its back as the soldier dissipated into nothing.

"You alright, kid?"

"Y-yeah," Jason gasped, breath coming out in harsh pants as he struggled to breathe.

"Good," Cor said urgently, "because we need to get out of here now." As if to punctuate that statement, the clanking sound of soldiers marching against the hard ground made it through the rushing sound in Jason's ears and an alarm blared deafeningly into the night. The downed axeman that Jason had broken the legs of shuddered and began crawling towards him, causing Jason to very near shriek, but Cor dispatched it with a vicious stab to its face and a curse. Jason found himself being dragged roughly back the way they came as Cor latched onto his arm and steered forward. Jason gasped in agony as pain flared up his leg in nausea inducing waves, but his adrenaline was so great he barely gave it any consideration as he sprinted after Cor. Get out, get out, get out!

The red haze grew thicker around them and every corner became illuminated with its sickly glow. Soldiers he hadn't even seen activated left and right, following them with their daemonic eyes and starting forward in pursuit. Some tried to block their path, but Cor cut through them violently, urging Jason to keep running. Jason's heart nearly shuddered to a complete stop when a mech beside him activated, but it wasn't fast enough to catch them as they bolted to the gate.

"Shit!" Cor cursed loudly as the gate came into sight, and Jason would have echoed the sentiment if he had hand any breath to spare.

With a loud rumble, the gate was closing, large doors grinding to cut off their path. Cor jerked Jason forward and put on another burst of speed, Jason matching his pace with everything he had. They weren't going to make it!

And to make matters worse, a line of riflemen filed out onto the top of the wall and aimed their guns, red dots flicking across Jason's chest and body. If he wasn't already breathless, he would have been hyperventilating, but as it was, he just put as much of his being into his run as he could. Bullets rained around him and Jason wasn't even sure at this point if he would even have felt it if he got hit.

The gates were almost completely closed when they reached them, but they were going to make it! In a last ditch effort to stop them, an axeman threw himself into Cor's path only to meet a swift and violent end at the man's blade. Seconds after they burst through, the gate closed behind them with a boom.

They weren't out of the woods yet, though. The riflemen still had them in their sights as the searchlights zeroed in on their wild dash. Luckily it didn't seem that the riflemen were very good shots, because neither man was hit. Jason stumbled through the dark as the light faded, but Cor kept him going, not slowing down for an instant.

The problem was, Jason had nothing left. Waves of dizziness crashed over him and he slowed, adrenaline wearing off. Agony shot through his leg once again and he fell with a cry. Cor spun around in alarm, eyes flicking between Jason and the gates beginning to open, the ominous figures of mechs filling the space behind.

Roughly, he pulled Jason to his feet, heedless to the shout of pain, and pulled something from his jacket. A whistle pierced through the night and a vaguely familiar cry echoed back.

But Jason was no longer looking. He was losing awareness fast, body going into shock as pain thrummed through him mercilessly. Gunshots thundered around them, a creature's cry growing closer, then Jason was lifted onto something soft. He clutched at the feathers beneath his hands, strong muscles rippling under his touch. He jolted upright.

A huge feathered beast shuffled beneath him, and to his shock, Jason found himself astride a chocobo, it's feathers black as night. He clung to it weakly with a startled shout as it shifted, and barely had time to process what the hell was going on before a strong body swung onto the beast behind him, arms anchoring him to what felt like a brick wall before they were moving.

Jason clung to the iron band across his chest and squeezed his eyes shut as the night flashed by them in blinding, dizzying waves.

He had mentioned that he hated riding motorcycles. This was absolutely _one hundred times_ worse.

They fled into the night and the gunfire and alarms eventually faded into the distance. With every passing moment, Jason's grip grew weaker, and it wasn't long before he fell limp against Cor's chest, exhaustion and pain dragging him blissfully into unconsciousness.

-o0o-

 _AN:_

 _Whoops! Cor, stop being mean, look what you did! Poor baby Jason. He just wants to apologize to Prompto!_

 _Ah, I love battle scenes. Looks like Jason is well on his way to proving himself, even if that little test didn't go exactly as Cor planned. We'll see what conclusions he comes to next chapter. And what are the guys up to?! Wouldn't you like to know hehe._

 _Next chapter's going to be fun! Might not get it up for a bit though, I've got a test of my own to complete this next month. It will be for my second black belt, so wish me luck guys!_

 _As always I appreciate you comments. No really! I don't even expect them anymore since I don't have much of a following for this story, but that just makes every comment and pat on the back that much more precious. See you next time!_


	11. Drain

_Two Days Previous: The Road to Galdin Quay_

The first time it happened, Prompto thought his friend was going to die.

Wind flowed through Prompto's short blond hair, pulling the strands to brush over his closed eyes and stick to his dry lips. He didn't move or shake them aside, merely letting them tickle his skin as they pleased while the Regalia continued down the road to Galdin Quay on smooth pavement. Desert flew by as the miles were eaten away by the Regalia's smooth drive, transitioning into rolling hills of green that dipped into canyons as the hours passed agonizingly slowly.

The mood had been silent, solemn, since they left Jason to the desert. Noctis may have smiled for Prompto, but once they were again on their way he fell into quiet contemplation in the back seat, that small furrow between his eyes the only clue to his thoughts. He responded to little enough, and eventually Gladio and Ignis gave up, going back to their reading and driving, respectively. Prompto found himself quickly bored, and with silence comes time to think.

Prompto hates having time to think.

Time to think means contemplating the mark on his skin, or the distinct lack of knowledge–and fears–of his origins. Time to think reminds him of his failures and shortcomings, reminds him that he does not truly belong in the presence of the elite. That he got lucky. But most of all, time to think means remembering the harsh words Jason left him with, the possibility that they might be true. That he wasn't real. That his friends weren't real, and that they were all just a figment of someone's imagination to do with as they please.

That his life, and that of those he loves, would end in tragedy.

Anxiety bubbles in his stomach, hot and acidic, and Prompto's eyes snap open. Rolling hills greet him as they fly past, emerald in the high noon. It's still very hot, despite the four breaking the edge of the desert not long ago. The only thing making it bearable is the wind blowing over them, courtesy of the drawn roof of the car. Prompto fiddles with a bottle of water in his hands, condensation wetting his fingers and cooling them pleasantly. With a pang of guilt, he thinks about how he just left Jason in the desert by himself like that. The man didn't know where he was or how he got there.

But Prompto only needed to remember his words, his dismissal of Prompto's very existence before the guilt fizzled away into a distant itch. The young man grit his teeth, jaw clenching in anger. Jason hadn't even considered helping him, even when Jason apparently knew what would happen and had the power to change it.

Whatever 'it' was. Who even knew if he had been telling the truth?

Besides that, it seemed like the farther away from Jason Prompto got, the more normal things appeared. There was no longer the strange filter over his vision that skewed the world, nor the haunting music that followed him. Gladiolus, Ignis and Noctis all seemed to return to their usual selves, no blank eyes and repeated lines, or strange urges to climb rocks and pick up random junk. They seemed totally and completely aware once more. That above anything relieved Prompto like nothing else. He could feel warmth and comfort every time Ignis turned his hazel eyes onto him and gave him that fond smile, he could feel the safety wrap around him from Gladio's diligent gaze into the countryside, sturdy and reliable, always aware of their surroundings. And best of all, when Noctis spoke, it was his own voice, not that of a stranger's wearing the skin of his best friend. It was good to see things back to normal.

Even if that normalcy brought with it tension of uncertainty. Noctis' possession, the encounter with the red giants, and meeting Jason had rattled them all.

Prompto looked back at Noctis for the fifth time in the last hour. It was on the tip of his tongue to break the maddening silence, but every time he tried, Gladio would quiet him with a look. Prompto slowly closed his mouth with a pout. Gladiolus was not moved, the man merely raising a brow before turning back to his book. Noctis didn't stir beneath Prompto's worried frown. Probably didn't even notice.

Noctis stared into the rolling countryside, but his gaze was far away, bright blue eyes muted with dark thoughts. It wasn't hard to imagine what the prince was thinking.

He wondered about Jason's arrival and what it meant on the eve of the Signing. He wondered if he was doing the right thing, going to Altissia to marry Lunafreya and secure the peace. It was what they all wondered.

But, as Ignis pointed out, they had their orders. All they could do was trust in the King, and have faith that he knew what he was doing.

Prompto turned back to the front of the car and wished for simpler times. Even though this journey had only just begun, he longed for the lazy days spent in Noctis' high rise apartment, for the late nights and Ignis' cooking, for the casual training sessions with Gladio at the Citadel. Even though logically he knew nothing had really happened yet, the indefinable threat hanging over him felt heavy.

Maybe...maybe he shouldn't have left Jason behind. Maybe he should have dragged him along kicking and screaming. What was one stranger's comfort compared to the well being of his friends?

Prompto shook the particularly nasty thought aside, as if the physical movement could repel it. No. That was wrong.

"Iggy," Prompto moaned and flailed his hands petulantly. "I'm going out of my mind here! Are we there yet?"

With a drawn out sigh, Ignis didn't even bother to appreciate Prompto's pout, much to the younger man's chagrin. He kept his eyes on the road resolutely. How was he supposed to succumb to Prompto's patented puppy eyes if he didn't even look? Heartless!

"Prompto, we've only been driving for four hours. You know how far Galdin Quay is. We won't arrive till sundown."

Prompto glared at the sun, still unfortunately in its apex. No matter how he willed it, it would not move faster. Rude. "Come onnnnnn, even Gladio has to be going out of his mind. He's read that book, like, twice over already!"

"He's got a point," Gladio rumbled from the back, but didn't bother to shift from his slouched position nor put down the accused literature. "Didn't expect the trip to last this long. I'll have to buy a new book at the next station we pass."

"And that sounds like grounds for a pit stop! Woohoo~!" Prompto enthused, already ridiculously elated for something as simple as a gas station. Anything to break this awful monotony.

"Sounds like a waste of time. Need I remind you our current mission–"

"We ran out of Ebony two hours ago," Gladio interrupted, turning a page of his novel.

Ignis fell silent, and Prompto couldn't have helped the grin that spread across his face even if he wanted to. "...I suppose a short break wouldn't hurt."

"Yes! You're the best, Iggy," Prompto enthused, throwing his torso over the console and into Ignis' lap, ignoring the advisor's protest. Prompto persisted until the hand pushing him away acquiesced into gloved fingers gently carding through his hair. He smiled into the leather covering Ignis' thigh and weathered the put upon sigh.

"Like a damn cat," Gladio chuckled.

"Purrrr," Prompto rolled his tongue in a facsimile of a pur, practically melting when Ignis' skilled fingers found that spot behind his ear that always relaxed him instantly.

"I see a station coming up. Gladio, would you wake his Highness?"

"I'm awake," came the quiet response from Noctis.

Ignis' hand withdrew as Prompto propped himself up again, facing the back and leaning against his headrest. He tilted his chin with a faint smile. "Coulda fooled me, buddy."

"Yeah, well," Noctis ran his hand through his black hair, ruffling it in the back. "Got a lot on my mind, ya'know?"

"Well, I think I know how to get your mind off things," Prompto drawled playfully as Ignis pulled into a small town, turning on his blinker even though there were no other cars out to see him, and stopped at a gas station.

"How's that," Noctis grumbled. He sounded tired. It reminded Prompto too much of the sullen young man he was before he met him. Nope. Can't have that.

Prompto smiled mischievously. "Easy. Junkfood!"

"Now wait just a–" Ignis immediately protested, but Noctis' eyes were already lighting up, much to Prompto's delight. _There_ he is.

"Last one to the snack isle's a rotten chocobo egg!" Noct shouted, vaulting from the back of the Regalia.

Prompto gasped in outrage, scrambling from his seat to catch up. "You take that BACK! _All chocobo eggs hatch!"_

Ignis stared in exasperation as the two young men tore towards the minimart, shoving at each other and shouting at the top of their lungs. "Why do I even bother?", he mused, small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. It was good to see Noctis come out of himself.

"Got me." Gladiolus stood and strolled around the car, leaning against the Regalia beside Ignis.

Ignis raised a brow. "You certainly aren't any help in that department."

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for baby blues," he shrugs.

"Gladio. They both have blue eyes."

"Case and point." Gladio scoffs in amusement at Ignis' annoyance. "Like you're one to talk mister 'I cook all of Noctis' favorite foods when he's sad and can't keep my hands out of Chocobutt's hair'."

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Ignis drawled, levering himself up and shutting the door behind him. He eyed Gladio subtly, searching for any sign of jealousy. When he found none, he brushed imaginary dust from his jacket with a sniff. "Don't you have a book to purchase?"

"That I do," Gladio mocked Ignis' accent with a mischievous smirk, strolling towards the minimart with much more composure than their youngest companions.

"Don't know why I bother," Ignis repeated, shaking his head fondly. Momentarily, his eyes were drawn to the road behind them, unease flickering over his features. But he pushed it down. Best not to show any weakness to the prince. Noctis was nervous enough without having to shoulder Ignis' worry as well. Facing resolutely forward, Ignis made to follow his three companions before they could cause too much trouble.

Not one second after he took his first step, a blood curdling, all too familiar scream broke the peace.

"NOCT!"

Gladiolus was moving before he'd even registered the scream, Ignis hot on his heals. It was only a dozen yards to the station's entrance, but to them, it felt like miles. The shield practically wrenched the door from its hinges to get inside, only to find Prompto already hunched over the fallen form of their prince.

"Oh gods, oh gods," Prompto gasped, hands clutching the back of Noctis' shirt as he held him in his lap. He had barely had time to catch him as he abruptly collapsed, Noctis making a strangled sound like a wounded animal as his legs gave out on him.

"What happened?", Ignis snapped, hands running up and down the raven's form, searching for an injury. Noctis' eyes were closed, and he didn't appear to be breathing. Panic clawed at Ignis' heart as he ripped his glove off to press a bare finger to Noctis' pulse. It was barely there, a mere flutter against his touch. Gladiolus stood above them, covering their backs and looking for any assailants. The shopkeeper cowered behind the counter, hands up in surrender. "Gladio, do not summon anything!" Ignis said urgently.

"I-I don't know!" Prompto gasped, barely keeping it together. "One second he was fine, and the next h-he was on the ground!"

Ignis carefully extracted Noctis from Prompto's arms and laid him on the floor. He checked his vitals first. Noctis' skin was dreadfully pale, but he was breathing, and his heart got stronger by the second. Whatever it was, it seemed to completely drain him. Almost like…

"Stand down, Gladio," Ignis said quietly, a contemplative frown on his face. "It appears Noctis has gone into stasis."

"Stasis? But…" Prompto trailed off at Ignis' look. Prompto glanced at the store clerk, the young man still huddled against the wall as if Gladiolus was going to eat him alive, even though the large man had relaxed at Ignis' word. Right. They didn't talk about royal stuff in front of strangers. He bit his lip hard as he watched Gladio lift Noct's prone form and stride from the shop. The four hurried back to the Regalia, all thoughts of supplies deserting them.

"What do we do?", Prompto fretted as Gladio lowered the prince into the back seat. The blond squeezed himself in as well without having to be asked, propping Noct's head on his lap. Noctis looked so pale and still, skin a sickly shade of white.

"We move on," Ignis said decisively, sliding into the driver's seat and starting the car. Gladio jumped into the passenger side and shoved the seat back, closing the door with more force than necessary. They pulled out of the station as Ignis drew the hood, concealing them from sight and protecting Noctis from the wind.

"Shouldn't we find a hospital or something?!" Prompto clutched Noctis to him. He felt cold as ice. He grabbed a Gladios jacket from the floor and pulled it up to Noctis' chin.

"No. What Noctis needs is rest. He's overexerted his power somehow and that's not something any doctor would be able to fix. The best course of action is to get him to Galdin Quay and into a decent bed."

"How the hell did that happen, anyway?", Gladio said through a clenched jaw, tone murderous. "He didn't use the crystal's power, and none of us summoned anything! And even if we did, we would have had to summon tank to get him to this state."

"I don't know," Ignis said grimly. But that wasn't entirely true. A suspicion niggled at the back of his mind, but he didn't voice it. Not until he had more information.

"What are you thinking, Iggy?", Gladiolus eyed Ignis carefully.

But Ignis only shook his head. "I don't know," he repeated. "But whatever it was, we better hope it doesn't happen again. I don't think he could survive another hit like that."

The three of them fell into a grim silence. Prompto watched Noctis anxiously, willing him to wake up. He didn't. An hour passed, then two, but no response. The sun sank towards the horizon and lit the sky with vibrant swaths of golds and pinks, but Prompto barely noticed, intent on Noct's breathing, as if afraid that if he looked away again it would stop.

It wasn't until Ignis had cut the engine that Prompto finally looked up. It was late in the evening, the land clinging to the last rays of light from the disappearing sun. Galdin Quay Resort spread before them, the building floating on the clear blue waters of the small inlet, only seeming attached to land by the piers that meandered from it's entrance to the clean white sand. Even as they watched, the lights came on, sparkling off of the water like jewels. Laughter and music filtered through the quiet night air, cheerful and relaxing. It was breathtaking.

But none of the three men felt any pleasure at the sight, their prince's state heavy on their minds. They payed it no mind as Gladio lifted Noctis from the back seat and they headed into the shelter of the open air restaurant. It wasn't long before Ignis had secured them a room and Noctis lay recumbent against the white sheets of the large bed.

Ignis brushed the raven's bangs aside, checking for a temperature. Finding none, he left Noctis to his rest and joined the other two in the lounge chairs on the open air patio, closing the door softly behind him.

"How is he?", Gladio asked quietly. Prompto wrung his hands together.

"Much better. His skin is regaining its color. He should wake soon."

Prompto let out a long breath. "I've never seen him this bad before…What could have happened?"

Gladio crossed his arms and leaned against the glass, staring out over the water. "Last time I saw him like this, it was because he'd tried to warp from the fiftieth floor of the Citadel to the ground."

"Yes, I remember. He was trying to escape etiquette lessons, if I recall correctly."

Prompto let out a small laugh despite the grim situation. That sounded like Noct, alright. He bit his lip and stared at his friend through the glass. What could have happened to get him this way?

The royal family's magic came from their connection with the Crystal, a energy source gifted to them by the Gods. It granted them incredible powers, including the ability to maintain a great wall of energy that protected Insomnia from outside threats, use weaponized magics, and grant the ability to warp and summon weapons for those tied to the royal family. They are easily the most powerful people in all of the world. But it comes at great cost. In order to use the Crystal's energy, Noctis and his line were forced to use their own life force to maintain it.

Prompto knew objectively that King Regis suffered from the effects of the Crystal's drain, could see it from his worsening health over the few years he'd known him. He also knew that taking on the full burden of the Crystal's power was Noctis' greatest fear, one he would be forced to face only at the death of his beloved father.

But it never seemed quite real to Prompto. Not till today. Not until he'd seen the effects of it first hand, heard Noctis' strangled cry as he went down. Sure, he'd seen him go into Stasis before, several times in fact. Noctis wasn't always careful with his abilities, but the worst Prompto's ever seen him was a bit too tired to stand, winded, a little spacy. This….this was on a whole other level.

This time, he'd looked close to death.

And it didn't make any _sense_ _,_ because he hadn't used his powers. None of them had either. Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prompto were the only ones drawing power through Noctis–ever since he had connected them to his magic at their inductions to his house–and the drain from that was infinitesimal to the power Noctis had at his disposal, even without full access to the Crystal's magic. Practically no more than Noctis lifting a pinky. No, it had to be something else.

"Could something have happened to the Crystal?", Gladiolus said pointedly.

Ignis pursed his lips. "I don't think that's even possible. As far as I know, the Crystal is indestructible. Also, Noctis doesn't even have access to its full power, so if anything, he would have just lost the ability to use magic. Besides, the Signing wasn't till this evening and he'd collapsed by noon."

"Do you think…" Prompto started hesitantly. He wasn't sure, but there was only one thing out of the ordinary to happen recently that it could have possibly been. "Do you think it could have something to do with Jason?"

Ignis didn't answer for several moments, but both men could practically see the wheels turning in his eyes. The silence was damning.

"I'm going to _kill_ that sonofabitch." Gladiolus seethed, hands clenching mercilessly against his biceps.

"We don't know for sure," Ignis soothed, though he hardly sounded convinced.

"What else could it have been? That bastard must have done something to Noct when he took over his damn body! Did you see the way he drained Noct when he summoned the camping gear?" He punctuated his statement with a violent swipe of his hand through the air.

"That was an accident, though," Prompto said anxiously. "He didn't know what he was doing!"

" _Why_ are you defending him?" Gladio shouted. Prompto flinched, and the the three fell into silence. Prompto didn't speak until Gladio's shoulders relaxed, the older man's eyes cutting away apologetically before he leaned back once again.

"Because," Prompto said cautiously. "Jason might have been a jerk, but I believe him when he said it was an accident. I don't think he would hurt Noct on purpose." And that was the truth. Prompto might not like what Jason had to say, but that didn't mean he was a bad guy. Besides that, he saved them once already. Someone malicious would not have done that, would have run and left them to their fates.

"The point remains," Ignis said, "that despite what Jason's true intentions are, he has hurt Noctis. One possibility is that he did it unknowingly and may do so again on accident, in which case Noctis may die. Another is that he did it on purpose and may do so again, and Noctis will still die. Either way, circumstances are not in our favor. We must find him."

Gladio banged his fist against the wooden railing, causing Prompto to jump. "That selfish bastard just ran off, and _none_ of us stopped him. We should have just dragged him with us kicking and screaming. I can't _believe_ we let someone obviously that dangerous get away, and now Noct is practically in a damn coma!"

Guilt stabbed like a vicious dagger to the gut, and Prompto nearly doubled over with the realization of it. This was _his_ fault. Noctis was lying in there with his life force nearly drained because of _him_ _._ Prompto's hands shook with the force of will it took him to keep standing, to not break down.

"Prompto?", Ignis questioned softly, concerned. "What is it?"

Prompto's eyes filled with tears, and he tried his best not to let them fall. He took a deep breath. "This is my fault," he whispered.

"What do you mean?", Gladio rumbled, almost dismissively. "You're not the one who put Noct in that state."

"No," Prompto's voice became strangled, and both men looked on in alarm as he worked himself up. "But Jason–we had a fight, and he said some really awful things, I–he never said he wouldn't help but I was just so m-mad–" Prompto's voice closed up, and he bit his lip, hard.

"Prompto," Ignis said carefully. "Did you abandon Jason in the desert?"

Prompto's breath hitched and Gladio swore explosively, digging the palms of his hands into his brow. Prompto couldn't even look Ignis in the eyes, blurred gaze locked onto the ground, shoulders shaking.

"It's alright," Ignis said stiffly. "You couldn't have known."

"Like hell!" Gladiolus shouted. Prompto cringed, folding into himself.

"We didn't go after him either, Gladiolus Amicitia, so you can lower your voice and _get off your damned high horse._ _"_ Ignis shouted back. Ringing silence fell between them, the only sound Ignis' harsh panting from his outburst, cheekbones dusted pink from anger. Gladio and Prompto were shocked. Ignis never raised his voice outside of battle. Not _ever_ _._ Both of them could count on one hand how many times it had happened, combined. It only went to show just how serious this was. If Gladiolus was their strength, and Prompto their heart, then Ignis was their mind. They relied on his cool calculation and calm. If _he_ didn't know what to do, then Prompto wasn't sure what would happen.

Prompto felt his confidence strain under the weight of the rampant feelings around him.

Ignis continued in a calmer tone, taking a deep breath and visibly getting a hold of himself with a gloved hand through his hair. "Bickering amongst ourselves will not help Noctis. We need to find Jason and put a stop to whatever he is doing."

"...And Altissia?", Gladio hazarded cautiously.

"Postponed. I hardly think a dead prince would be able to fulfill the peace contract."

The words were gently delivered, but brutally honest. The tears spilled from Prompto's eyes and down his face, no longer able to hold them back. A heavy arm pulled him to Gladio's chest, and the younger man turned his face into his shoulder. Gladio let out a deep sigh. "We wait till Noctis wakes," he said in a low rumble that Prompto could feel all the way to his toes. "In the morning, we backtrack. We'll find him."

-o0o-

Noctis didn't know what hit him.

The last thing he remembered was beating Prompto to the store entrance and reaching for a bag of chips. Then he only had the barest warning before a wall of _wrongness_ hit him, eyes widening and face draining of all color. For a split second, he was gripped in place as something grabbed him by the back of his neck and _pulled._ His heart stuttered in his chest before leaping, energy draining from his body at an alarming pace, unstoppable, like water slipping through his fingers. He let out a strangled gasp, eyes widening in alarm as his legs gave out. Prompto screamed his name.

He doesn't remember hitting the floor.

Events after that are a slurried mess of sound and sensation and darkness. He heard voices, the occasional cold touch against his skin, the rocking of the Regalia. Every time he thought he could reach the surface, overwhelming fatigue dragged him back down into the black. Thinking was impossible, and time passed unnoticed in the fog. All he could register was a distant fear that something was very wrong.

Consciousness was on the edge of his awareness an indeterminable amount of time later, and he clawed at it like a drowning man for air. Thoughts finally made their way between dizzying waves of fatigue, and he took stock of his body. Stasis. He had been through this before, had felt that terrifying drain a time or two. One time when he was a dumb kid and overestimated his abilities. Another time when he had been kidnapped and had to warp halfway across the city to escape. But he could not remember how or why he got this way this time.

Muffled voices reached him, and he clung to them with a vengeance, pushing away the dark with a force of will. His eyes cracked open, only to instantly close as light burned his retinas and sent and aching pain through his skull. He let out a quiet gasp, turning his face into the soft surface beneath his head.

A voice called his name, but it sounded like it was filtered through cotton in his ears. He struggled to open his eyes again, but didn't manage more than a twitch of his brow and a grimace. A cool hand brushed over his forehead, pushing his hair from his face.

 _Ignis,_ he thought. The touch was as familiar as if the man was his own mother. It eased him, and the fear receded a little. He still didn't know what was going on, but Ignis' touch meant that he was safe. A warm body settled on the bed next to him. He didn't know who it was, but was comforted all the same. He fell into a restful sleep.

Consciousness came to him again, this time with greater ease. Noctis didn't feel nearly as fatigued as he opened his eyes to the morning glow. As his eyes focused, he took stock of his body again. He was sore all over, but didn't feel like he was about to go under any longer. A vaulted ceiling greeted him, and for a split second he was convinced he was back at the Citadel. Then he blinked, and realized his surroundings were unfamiliar. He turned his head and was startled to see the ocean, the sky pink with the early dawn.

"Noct?"

Noctis blinked in surprise, turning back around. Prompto lied beside him, propped up on one elbow and looking down on him. He looked sleep mussed, hair tousled and cheeks slightly pink. He looked exhausted, with dark bags beneath bloodshot eyes, as if he'd been crying. His eyes widened when Noctis looked at him, and a relieved smile spread over his face. "Noct! You're awake!"

"Um, yeah," Noctis rasped. "What happened?" He pushed himself into a sitting position with some effort, but he felt alright now. Just really tired.

Prompto's smile dropped off his face as he sat up as well, crossing his legs and picking at a loose thread on his pants. "You went into Stasis, dude. Hard. I thought you were going to die," he said quietly.

"Yeah," Noct said, shuddering at the remembered sensation of falling. "But how? I didn't use the Crystal's power, but it felt like a whole lot of energy was draining from me all at once."

"...We think it might have something to do with Jason," Prompto mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

Noctis grit his teeth in annoyance, anger simmering in his stomach. "Figures. The guy possesses me, claims he's some Messenger sent to help before running off, and now he's still messing with me."

"Ah, that's not exactly what happened…"

Noctis frowned. "You mean, he's not the one who did that?"

"No, Ignis thinks it probably has something to do with him. We don't think he did it on purpose though. What I meant was...he didn't run off. I kiiiiind of left him there and told you guys he did." The last few words slurred together so badly it took Noctis a second to sort them out. Prompto peeked through his lashes, grimacing as if awaiting a blow.

Noctis stared for a moment before huffing out a breath. "Okay. That kind of...sucks. I guess we just need to find him now."

"Yeah...sorry." Noctis watched as his friend curled into himself, guilt written all over his hunched form. He wasn't mad. Not really. The guy was kind of a jerk, anyway. This just made things a bit more complicated.

"It's cool, Prom. You didn't know." He nudged the blond in the shoulder and was graced with a small tentative smile. "Where are Specs and Gladio?"

"They went out to grab some food. Should be back any minute."

"Hmm."

"Hey Noct?"

"Yeah?"

"...Don't scare me like that again, 'kay?"

And it was that look on his friend's face–that worried frown, the pinch between his eyebrows, and the watery blue eyes–that gave away just how close it had been, how worried it made them all. Noctis took in a slow breath before releasing it in a rush, allowing a reassuring smile to pull at his lips. He couldn't make any promises, considering none of them seemed to know how it happened in the first place, but he could give Prompto a smile.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

The words felt kind of empty, and both of them knew it. But Prompto looked a little relieved anyway. The door opened and Prompto perked up, turning towards the sound. "Hey guys! Guess who's awake! We were just…" Prompto trails off.

Gladio and Ignis step into the room, faces grim and pale. Their eyes lock onto Noctis and the young man feels his heart beginning to race. "What? What is it?" They exchanged a glance, a thousand words silently passing between them in an instant. Gladio turns away first, crossing his arms and staring out of the window without seeing the sunrise. There is a quiver in his tight shoulders, and the sight rattles Noctis like nothing else can. "Guys?"

A sigh brings his eyes back to Ignis, who walks towards the bed and places a cool hand on Noctis' forehead. "How are you feeling?"

Noctis brushes the hand aside, ignoring the question. "Ignis."

The man's lips tighten, and his other hand comes up slowly, a rumpled newspaper in its grasp. He holds it out. Noctis glances up at him in confusion before slowly taking it for himself.

Prompto leans against him as he smooths out the wrinkled folds. The air seizes in his lungs in a strangled hiss. And the world comes crashing down around him.

"Tch!"

There, in bold letters across the front page, were the words _Insomnia Falls._ And beneath it, a photo that was taken as his home burned.

-o0o-

AN: _Whew. What's going on with Noctis? Prompto regrets his decision to ditch Jason, now. And poor Jason's got a lot to answer for._

 _I'm enjoying writing the chocobros much more than I anticipated X) For some reason, I thought it would be really hard, but their voices are coming to me better than I thought they would. Developing their personalities and relationship is going to be so much fun! I haven't decided yet, but I might indulge in my favorite OT4 just because I can ;) Look forward to that as well as some pretty drastic canon divergence. Still got a long ride ahead of us._

 _Thanks so much for all your support guys, I'm so glad you are enjoying this! Please reward me for my hard work if you think I deserve it! It truly makes my day._


	12. Search

The second time it happened, Prompto was certain _Jason_ was going to die.

Silence reigned absolute in the hotel room, nothing to break the tense air but the gentle sound of waves lapping at the deck outside and the damp wind filtering through the ajar sliding door. Prompto stared blankly at the newspaper resting crumpled in Noctis' limp hands. He couldn't bring himself to look up at his best bud's face, honestly terrified of what he would see.

"It's all over the news," Ignis said softly, finally disturbing the silence. Prompto gaped at him, eyebrows drawn, stomach sinking. This can't be real right? But Ignis' lips were set in a grim line, one that he only uses in the most serious of circumstances. Ignis is sure.

Noctis didn't respond. So Prompto did for him.

"How?" His voice cracked. His gaze was drawn back to the newspaper, to the image of the destruction torn through Insomnia taken from above. Half of it lay in ruin, huge craters scarring the land clear of life and buildings, livelihoods, shops, homes, schools, everything gone.

Like that flower shop he worked at in high school, the grumpy old owner who lived above it.

Like the arcade he and Noctis frequented every other week.

Like the small house he used to share with his foster parents before he turned eighteen and they left it in his name, but he never even stayed there anymore because he always ended up crashing in Noct's–

Ignis cut off his thoughts before they could physically hurt him, but introduced a whole new type of pain that had Prompto nearly gasping with it. "The peace treaty was a sham. The Emperor betrayed us and attacked the citadel on the eve of the signing...he stole the Crystal. King Regis–"

"No, wait," Noctis gasped. "Don't. Don't say it." He clutched the paper to his chest and folded in on himself, shoulders shaking violently.

"Noct…"

"NO!" Noctis shouted, jumping to his feet and striding towards the window before angrily pacing back. His bare feet slapped the floor and he clenched his hair in his hands, pulling harshly. "This wasn't supposed to happen, he told me–he _promised_ –" His words cut off abruptly and he stopped, swaying dizzily.

The three of them moved at once, but Prompto got to him first, wrapping his arms around the Prince's shoulders. "Whoa there buddy, easy. You've only just–"

"NO!" Noctis denied again, pushing Prompto off of him roughly. Prompto gasped, stumbling back and slamming into the side table, lamp falling off and crashing to the floor, the man falling down after it in a heap.

Prompto hissed, hand burning sharply as it scraped across the fallen glass. He ignored it, though, standing up swiftly only to find Noctis slumped in Gladio's strong arms, the large man's arms around the distressed Prince's chest.

"Calm down," Gladiolus rumbled gently. Noctis only shook his head.

"We don't know that the King is dead," Ignis said softly, but Noctis still flinched. "Only that he is presumed so. In fact, both you and Luna are as well."

Noct's head jerked up at that. "Luna?", he whispered, voice breaking.

"She was at the citadel at the time of the attack," Gladiolus supplied. He carefully withdrew his arms, leaving Noct to stand stock still on his own, gaze locked to the floor.

"So," Noctis said with all the conviction of a man betrayed. "So. Dad knew. He knew it was coming and sent me away."

He strode over to the bedside, wrenching his shoes on with more force than necessary before grabbing his phone and typing rapidly. Bringing to his ear sharply, it didn't so much as click before he was speaking frantically into the mouthpiece. "Cor, thank the gods. What is going on? The news just told me I'm dead, along with dad and Luna–" Muffled words. Then Noctis tensed. Slowly, he turned around and locked eyes with Gladio, tears building and threatening to spill over. Gladiolus met his gaze evenly, mouth drawn into a thin line, before heaving a breath of air and running a hand down his face. "Right." Noctis said, voice trembling. "We'll meet you there." And he hung up abruptly. The phone hit the floor with a clatter.

"What did he say?", Prompto asked hesitantly, not understanding the look passing between Noct and Gladio. "Noct?"

"The king is dead."

Prompto inhaled sharply, eyes stinging at the resignation on Gladiolus' stern features. The king. _His_ king, the man who supported Insomnia with his very life force, protecting them all. The man who raised his best friend, invited a nervous Prompto to the palace for dinner to tell him personally he made the crownsgaurd, laughed at all of his stuttered jokes, called Noctis once a week to make sure he was doing alright and always asked after Noct's friends' health even though he was always so busy he barely got to sleep–

But it wasn't just him. Because if the king was dead, so was his shield.

Gladio's father.

Gladiolus stood stoically, not even a tremble of his hands to give away what he must be feeling. Prompto hadn't known Clarus very well, but he could only imagine what Gladio must be going through. What Noctis must be going through. Prompto had always envied them for their familial connections, never having a father figure himself, not really. Hell, even Ignis had an uncle at the palace he would never see again. But right now, Prompto was at least a little glad that his most important people were right here with him in this room.

Noctis straightened, visibly pulling himself together before he looked them each in the eye. "We have to go back."

The statement sat between the four for several seconds. Prompto's hand twinged sharply as it bled sluggishly against his shirt, but he ignored it for the anxiety burning his chest.

"We can't," Ignis said eventually. Noctis cut him a glare, but Gladio backed Ignis up, pulling himself out of his own dark thoughts.

"Iggy's right, Noct. You just recovered from being entirely drained. We've gotta find that kid before he does it again." Gladiolus fell silent, words trailing off as all four exchanged a shocked look.

"You don't think…" Prompto gaped. _Those games always end in tragedy._

He...he knew. He knew this was going to happen. _And he said nothing._

Was this the darkness he hinted was coming? Was this what he was supposedly brought here for? No, no that couldn't be. He would have said something if he knew. Right? _Right?_

Prompto watched in growing alarm as all three of his companion's faces darkened in anger, his brows drawing together in mounting confusion. Jason did know, though, didn't he? After all, he kept hinting at future events, knew what Prompto was, supposedly knew how their stories ended. But still, that didn't explain why he said nothing. He wasn't a bad guy, he wouldn't have–

A growl pulled him out of his thoughts.

"I am going to _kill_ him." Noctis snarled, eyes glowing an icy blue. The room visibly darkened with his palpable anger, dimming the sun through the windows and dropping the temperature a noticeable few degrees.

Prompto shuddered, curling in on himself. He'd never seen his friend so angry before. Prompto's hands tingled with the power reverb, crownsgaurd weapons reacting to the prince's rage, palms itching to summon them. Prompto abolished the feeling with sharp shakes of his hands. Violence was the last thing that he wanted at the moment.

He feared for Jason. This was wrong. Prompto was responsible for this, and yeah, Jason might have said something sooner, but Prompto didn't even give him a chance to do so, did he? Didn't even give him a moment to change his mind, didn't even _try_ to talk to him.

Because of what, Prompto's hurt feelings? Because Jason said some mean words while he was clearly distressed from being _taken from his home?_

The energy built as Noctis lost himself to his own grief and Prompto glanced frantically between him and his other two friends. A sick feeling rose in his stomach and clenched at his throat when he spotted similar fury on the two eldest of the group, hands glowing blue just like Prompto's, but neither man making the effort to shake it off like he had.

They were going to _kill him._ He could see it in their eyes and the scary part was that Prompto knew that each of them had already taken at least one life in the line of duty. Noctis when he was fifteen, a kidnapper. Gladiolus when he rebelled and slipped outside of the shield, encountering a skirmish. And Ignis in the palace, he stopped an assassination attempt. They could do it. They would, if they felt the need was great enough, Prompto was certain. But Jason hadn't _done_ anything, at least not on purpose. This was all Prompto's fault.

Prompto opened his mouth to protest, but only a strangled whimper came out beneath the mounting pressure, apprehension seizing his words. He closed his eyes tightly and willed it to pass, the distinct feeling of being pulled along in the wake paralyzing him.

Just when Prompto felt he would suffocate right there, unnoticed on the floor, the air cleared. The pressure ceased. But it brought no relief. Gentle hands gripped Prompto's shoulders and persevered through his automatic flinch, pulling him close. "Deep breaths, Prom. Breathe with me," a low, comforting rumble filled his ear, and Prompto gasped against Gladiolus' warm shoulder. Gladio's chest expanded, and Prompto wheezed to match him.

Several tense seconds passed before Prompto's lungs finally eased, eyes fluttering open as his body melted into the soft hand he only just noticed rubbing his back gently. "Sorry," he muttered, hiding his face.

"You alright?"

"...Yeah."

When Prompto was finally able to pull back, shame coloring his features relentlessly, he noticed what was going on in the rest of the room.

Noctis stood in the same spot, rigid shoulders eased. Or more like, slumped in defeat. His expression was something Prompto never wanted to see on his best friend's face again, pinched, tight lipped and lidded, holding back the floodgates of grief. Two gloved, regal hands framed his face, and he clung to them desperately like a lifeline to a drowning man. Ignis stood close to him, forehead pressed against Noct's, speaking words too low for Prompto to hear. Whatever he was saying must have helped at least a little, because Noctis no longer seemed to be on the warpath. In fact, he rather looked worse off then Prompto felt.

With a deep, full body sigh, Prompto shook off his own anxieties–what were they, compared to the grief of his friends?–and moved past Gladio. Placing a hand on Ignis' shoulder, the older brunette moved aside so that Prompto could take Noctis in his arms. This time he wasn't pushed away, but neither did Noctis move to accept him. "Hey buddy," Prompto whispered. "It's going to be okay. We'll get through this."

Noctis only shook his head. He dropped his forehead to Prompto's shoulder and rested his hands lightly on his waist. Not a true hug, but Prompto took that as encouragement to continue. "We're right here with you till the end, Noct."

"Always," Ignis said, placing a hand on Noct's shoulder.

"You bet we are," Gladio added as well, hand falling heavily on Noct's other. "Now let's get going. We have to catch up to that bastard before–"

"Urgh!"

"Noct!"

Once again, Noctis collapsed into Prompto's arms, suddenly and inexplicably. A surge of terror went through Prompto for the second time as Noct's full weight fell into him like a lifeless doll. Three pairs of hands guided the prince frantically to the floor, Ignis' immediately fluttering about his vitals.

But it was different this time. Noctis was still conscious. Face pale, breathing in weak gasps, sweat beading his brow but eyes aware. Before any of them could say more than choice expletives, the raven cut them off with a heave. "Ignis! H-he's taking things from the armiger!"

"What? How?" Gladio shouted.

"I-I don't know... I never... connected him…" Noctis was running out of juice fast from the looks of him, pale eyes shuttering swiftly. "Bastard...took my Carbuncle doll…."

"That's it." Gladio growled. "We leave now." He lifted the prince from the floor, and by the time he'd stood, Noctis was out cold.

"I'll bring the car around," Ignis proclaimed, leaving the room immediately.

"I-I've got the bags." Prompto jumped into action as well, throwing discarded belongings haphazardly in whichever duffle happened to be closest.

By the time Prompto turned back around, his friends were nowhere to be seen. Throwing the luggage over his shoulders he followed them swiftly out of the room, spotting Gladio already halfway down the docs. Concerned customers indulging in an early breakfast looked after him with open concern and curiosity, the hosting staff hovering as if not quite sure what to do, rebuffed.

Prompto made to follow, but in his haste, ran into someone quite solid.

"Sorry!" he immediately exclaimed as he stumbled back, struggling to regain his balance with his unwieldy load. A large hand grabbed him by the shoulder and re-planted his feet firmly on the ground, much to Prompto's relief.

"Careful there," a refined accent slid from the stranger like smooth silk, and Prompto looked into the face of his victim-slash-savior, ready gratitude on his lips.

His voice froze.

Amber eyes set into a handsome middle aged face stared into his, a charming smile on thin lips. Crimson hair fell in waves over his forehead and high cheekbones, beneath the shade of a rather outdated fedora. Despite the heat, the man was covered head to toe in a curious collection of what looked like old drapes Prompto had seen in a museum somewhere during high school. Prompto didn't think he'd ever seen an outfit quite like it.

But it wasn't his appearance that startled Prompto out of speaking. He was quite attractive, charming even with that friendly smile, and Prompto had no reason to fear him.

Other than ice that suddenly ran through his veins, clogging his senses with inexplicable, shivering dread.

"Are you alright, my boy? Your friends looked like they were in _quite_ the state."

The reminder of their situation had Prompto jolting out of the strange haze his mind had fallen into and he backed away swiftly. "S-sorry! I have to–" He turned away abruptly and hurried after Gladiolus, who had long reached the end of the doc, but not before he caught the amused smile pulling at the unsettling stranger's lips.

With a shudder, he dismissed the incident from his mind for more pressing matters, putting on a burst of speed once he got free of the wandering tourists. By the time he reached the car, Gladio and Ignis were waiting impatiently in the running vehicle. Prompto threw the bags into the trunk before unceremoniously jumping into the backseat near Noctis' curled form, and they were off.

"Where to?" Gladio asked over the sound of the roaring engine and peeling tires.

"Hammerhead. I doubt the man stayed at camp, and that is the closest settlement within walking distance."

"He could have gotten a ride?" Prompto added, slightly out of breath as he moved close to Noctis, physically reassuring himself he was still alive.

"Possibly. But we also need to rendezvous with Cor. Hammerhead is as good a place as any to start our search. You...might want to hold onto something."

"Wha–"

Gladio yelped as Ignis slammed the accelerator, propelling them away from Galdin Quay at a prodigious pace. Noctis didn't even stir when Prompto practically fell in his lap as Ignis took a rather physics defying turn.

"Whoa! Iggy, I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Seatbelts, gentlemen."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Gladio muttered, smile tugging at his mouth even as he put his seatbelt on with all seriousness. Ignis' pace was a far cry from the meandering speed they took to arrive, and Prompto rather wondered if he would survive the trip. But looking at Noctis' pinched face, pale as death against the black of the Regalia's interior, he couldn't bring himself to give a damn.

As much as he didn't think Jason deserved to die for what happened, Prompto would choose Noctis over him any day of the week. Jason had to be stopped, and Prompto was starting to wonder how far he would go to make that happen.

–

The situation at Hammerhead was dreary when they finally arrived.

Miraculously, the Regalia did not run out of gas even with Ignis practically pummeling the accelerator. Perhaps just as miraculously, Prompto didn't lose everything he'd eaten in the past _year_ as Ignis' driving put _drag racers_ to shame. Well, that is if a drag racer had the last member of his country's royal family/ purpose in life/ one of his closest friends on death's doorstep in the back seat while the threat of certain doom chased his polished heels.

It'd been a rough morning.

And it looked like they were far from the only ones affected by the news. Though it was barely early noon, people of all walks of life stood around in a daze, some in huddled groups, others alone with blank looks on their faces, devastation pointed in the direction of the still smoking city far in the distance, barely seen through the soft pattering of rain obscuring the horizon. By their dress, Prompto recognized a good deal of them as Insomnians, maybe having been outside the city when the enemy attacked, with no way to return to their destroyed homes. Or perhaps they were refugees, those able to escape the city. Either way, there was nowhere for them to go. As Ignis pulled up, Prompto immediately spotted Cindy amongst the refugees, handing out bowls to the listless people.

She looked like hell. They all did.

Ignis parked on the street and the three men scrambled from the Regalia to intercept Cindy.

"Boys," the exhausted young woman smiled weakly at their approach. It fell off her face swiftly when the distinct lack of Noctis became apparent. "Is it true?" she fretted. "Is the prince–"

Ignis stopped her with a raised hand. "Not here. Is there somewhere we can speak privately?"

Cindy nodded, frowning, and gestured for them to follow her to the garage.

Silently, Gladio fell back with a signal to Ignis, heading to the car to guard their insensate prince. Prompto gulped thickly as he watched the woman he admired practically drag herself to the shaded garage area.

Cid was waiting for them, his gnarled face lined more deeply than ever. He fiddled with a spanner in his hands, barely looking up when Cindy tried to get his attention.

"Cid," Ignis started.

"If you're looking for Cor," Cid interupted. "You just missed him."

"Actually, we are looking for another man. His name is Jason. Have you seen him?" Prompto gave Ignis a nervous look, but Ignis didn't take his eyes off of Cid. There was a coldness in Ignis' voice that Prompto could barely stand.

"Jason left with Cor, not a few hours ago," Cindy piped up tiredly. "He wanted to wait for you, but Cor insisted."

"Jason was waiting for us?" Prompto asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. He seemed mighty torn up about what happened in Insomnia. Said he had to find you no matter what. Even tried to run off into the desert by his lonesome! Thought I'd have to drag him back and patch him up again." She shook her head in bemusement.

Prompto's stomach sank. "Again?"

"Yeah," Cindy gestured dramatically. "When he got here, he'd been torn up real bad. Saved a man and his daughter from Sabertusks! What was he doing out there alone, anyway?"

Ignis pursed his lips but didn't comment on the plain look of guilt painting Prompto's face. "Why did he leave with Cor?" he asked instead.

"Cor believes he's a spy for the Imperials," Cid finally spoke, hitting the head of the spanner into his palm.

"...And what do you believe?"

Cid snorted wetly. "I think that kid has no idea what the hell he's talkin' about. Probably wouldn't know an Imperial from a wet rat if it bit him in the ass. Jason could, however, access the prince's armiger." Cid narrowed his eyes. "Now what would you know about that, huh?"

Ignis remained stoic. "We don't know much, but it is imperative that we find him. The prince is alive, but only just. Whatever Jason is doing, he needs to be stopped."

"Sonofabitch." Cid stood, pacing two steps before pausing in front of a small table, a photograph of a younger Cid and several others resting atop it. Almost to himself, he said, "Reggie thought he could protect the kid by sending him away, but the fool prince somehow managed to find trouble anyway." He shook his head and turned to face them both. "Cor left a few hours ago for a base to the north. My guess is that he's headed for the hunter headquarters up there. You best catch him before he moves on again. Guy never could keep still for more than a day or two. Better hurry, or your little friend might not be alive for much longer."

"Cor wouldn't hurt him...would he?" Prompto stuttered. Cid merely raised a gnarled brow and Prompto swallowed, conceding the point.

"We'd best be off," Ignis said tonelessly, turning on his heel and heading for the Regalia without a backwards glance.

Prompto turned to Cindy, nervousness growing with every swift step Ignis took from his side. But he couldn't just leave, not without saying something. "Ah. Um. T-thank you for looking after Jason. We'll…see you soon?" The last part came out as a painful question, Prompto still not quite sure how to talk to the young woman.

"No problem," Cindy replied without batting an eye at his stuttering, probably long used to men losing their words around her. Or perhaps she was just very, very tired and didn't notice. Was it bad that Prompto hoped that was the case? "Jason is a good sort." She eyed him sharply. Okay, so maybe not _that_ tired. "Try not to let him go off on his own again, ya'hear?"

"Ah…haha…." Prompto laughed, but it mostly came out like a strangled exhale. "Whelp, see you next time!" And he booked it, racing after Ignis before the man could peel out without him.

–

 **Present: Hunter Headquarters, Northern Liede**

Jason grimaced through another bland bite of sandwich, wondering idly if all the food in this world was gross, or if it was just a sign of the trying times. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Ignis' stew had been great. But it wasn't like Ignis would be willing to make him anything when he did see him. All four probably hated him at this point for not warning them about Insomnia. Hell, Jason hated himself. He did not look forward to the time he finally had to face their ire.

But he was getting ahead of himself again. He had to find them first, and that wasn't likely for two reasons. One, Cor still held his leash. The man hadn't spoken a word to him since they arrived at the Hunter's HQ an hour ago other than single syllable commands like 'sit' or 'eat' before he wandered off to talk to...someone, leaving Jason to his own devices. Jason didn't know what was going through the older man's head, whether he believed him now or what. Honestly, he felt too tired to give a damn at the moment, much less try to escape.

Not that Jason could have gotten very far. His foot was clearly fractured, and low and behold, there were no potions to be had at the moment. That would be the second reason he wasn't going to find the guys any time soon. He wasn't going to get very far on one foot, and there was no way he was going to hitch a ride with Big Bird again. Not on his life.

Jason picked idly at the bandage covering his arm, musing about the new scars he'd already acquired. He wondered if he'd be as scar worn as Cor by the end of the weak, judging by how these past few days had gone. He could have summoned a healing potion from Noct's stores, but that just felt wrong. He wasn't in any danger at the moment, and for all he knew, the guys could be in the midst of some fierce battle. And to this world, their lives were infinitely more important than Jason's discomfort. No, he would wait for the hunter's suppliers to obtain more, as he was assured they would as soon as dawn broke the horizon and it was safe to travel.

Jason didn't remember the trip there. After the attack on the base the pain of his wounds had pushed him beyond the limits of what his body had ever had to endure in such a short time frame and he passed out on the ride over. He couldn't feel anything but grateful for this, honestly. If his wounds hadn't pulled him under, then the stress of riding a wild beast through a daemon infested desert with the threat of imperial husks chasing after them would have.

Actually, that _probably_ hadn't helped the situation.

Hunters milled about the exhausted man, ignoring him for the most part. All of them were in quite the state since the news of Insomnia's fall, and Jason wasn't sure exactly who was in charge of all of these men and women but Cor seemed to hold significant sway over their actions. But Jason wasn't prying too deeply, more concerned with forcing food into his stomach so he could handle whatever catastrophe decided to kick him in the balls next.

If only he knew.

Well, if he _had_ _,_ he probably would have buried himself in a hole and hoped the world could go on without him. Would have saved Ignis the trouble of doing it himself.

Jason was too lost in his thoughts to notice the grating sound of tires harshly biting into gravel.

Jason felt much too exhausted to sense the danger approaching his slumped body in the form of scuffed, debonair boots parting the dust with purpose.

Jason would have to be _dead,_ however, not to notice the gloved hand that slammed onto his table, the acid green eyes that bore harshly into his, or the unmistakeable point of a dagger digging into the delicate skin of his neck should he so much as twitch.

"You," Ignis Scentia spoke calmly, tone as bitingly sharp as his blade, "will cease what you are doing to his highness, or I will _end you."_

 **–**

 **AN: Jason won't know what hit him! Will he survive the confrontation?**

 **Hi everyone, it's good to be writing this story again. Been going through a rough patch, so any encouragement from you guys would be appreciated. Also, what would you like to see happen? I'm curious to know where you think this story is going.**


	13. Confrontation

Jason was done. So. Done. He couldn't even bring himself to react to the words coming out of the irate man's mouth at the moment, too exhausted, too hung up on the utter unfairness of this situation he found himself in. It had only been a couple days, and how many times had his life been threatened? Four? Five?

Was it too much to ask for a couple hours without complete bullshit coming out of nowhere to punch him in the throat? Too much to ask to be able to _eat a bland sandwich in peace_ before catastrophe struck again?

Apparently so.

To make matters worse, Gladiolus decided to join the party with his incensed lover. It must be Threaten Jason Day, because it wasn't long before the wall of flesh stood at Jason's back, like he would be able to run off anytime soon. Even Prompto, easy going guy that he is, stood to the side grimly, not even flinching at the blade against Jason's neck.

Should he feel alarmed? Maybe. Any sane person would. But Jason was fairly sure sane was the last thing that could be used to describe his state at the moment.

"What do you mean, what I'm doing to Noctis?" Jason sighed, running a tired hand over his eyes. The white bandages on his wrist stood out starkly against tanned skin, barely covering the spread of mottled purple.

"Don't play dumb," Gladio growled. "Ever since you showed up, he's been either possessed or nearly dead!"

"Possessed or nearly–? Okay, I might have something to do with the possessed part, but I have no idea what you mean by nearly dead. I haven't done anything to him!" Jason's ire raised with the tone of Gladiolus' voice. The blade pricked into his skin and he hissed, batting it aside with a glare at Ignis. "Will you put that thing away! You might not have noticed, but I'm in no condition to fight you so just–"

"You have been stealing from Noctis' armiger," Ignis interrupted sharply, though he did withdraw his blade, much to Jason's relief. "It has drained him almost completely. Stop at once."

Jason's blood boiled, simmering just beneath the surface with a near violent wave of acidity that set his ears rushing and heart racing. It prickled at his skin and his head throbbed sharply.

No. _Enough._

Jason deflated in a gusty sigh. Letting it go–he really was tired of the misunderstandings, tired of the fighting, just _tired_ –he pursed his lips in thought before he said something that would escalate things further. Someone was going to have to be the cool headed one in this situation if they ever hoped to move forward. And it certainly didn't look like it was going to be Ignis judging by the cold murder in his eyes.

"You're right," he said, exuding as much calm as he could into his voice. "I have taken three things from the armiger. Once to save myself from dehydration in the desert." Prompto shifted slightly, but Jason ignored him. "A few minutes later, a knife to fight sabertusks. And the last one this morning was to prove to Cor that I had a connection with Prompto so I could find you guys again." He dug out the Carbuncle figurine and placed it on the table between them, never having figured out how to send it back. "I'm sorry that I hurt Noctis with what I was doing. It won't happen again." At the moment, he didn't know why it had drained Noctis, nor did he care. If an apology was what they wanted, an apology was what they would get.

Several charged moments passed before Ignis finally stood, snatching the figurine from the table and dismissing his blade. Jason wasn't out of hot water yet, however. "Come with me," he commanded with a cursory glance around the hunter base.

Their confrontation had not gone unnoticed. Several men and women watched the drama with more curiosity than they were due, and Jason found himself distinctly uncomfortable by their regard. Still, he felt even less comfortable with the idea of following the three crownsgaurd to somewhere secluded where they could possibly maim him. He could still sense hostility from Gladiolus in waves. Still. He did owe them an explanation.

"...I'm going to need help," Jason finally acquiesced reluctantly.

With only a momentary pause of hesitation, Prompto stepped forward. Jason hissed as he was pulled gently upright, foot throbbing sharply in his too big boot. Prompto was careful not to jostle him too much as they headed for the Regalia, but neither did he attempt to talk to Jason, expression painfully blank.

Noctis waited for them at the car, slumped wearily against the hood. He looked about as terrible as Jason felt, deep shadows underneath icy eyes. The prince glowered at Jason as they approached but did not move to attack, though he clearly wanted to. Noctis frowned at Ignis, questioning tilt to his downturned lips.

"Not here," Ignis answered the unspoken query. "There is a haven at the top of the hill not far from here. We will talk once we're alone."

A short jerky nod, and Noctis dragged himself around to the passenger side. Jason sat rigidly in between Prompto and a stonily silent Gladiolus. With every shiver and jerk of the cabin during the short ride to the haven glowing not a mile in the distance, Jason stifled a wince of pain. He debated whether to ask for a potion he knew these men possessed, but thought better of it. They could see he was injured and did not offer, so it was a safe assumption they did not feel generous with him at the moment. Or concerned with his well-being. That didn't bode well for his continued survival.

He just wanted this night to be over with.

–

This scene was eerily familiar.

The frigid prince sat across the fire, glaring daggers at Jason's person. Gladiolus stood intimidatingly behind Ignis, the latter man sitting legs crossed and hands carded, observing silently. Prompto stood to the side, nervously shifting from foot to foot.

Had it only been the morning before Jason had been in this position?

The camp was silent save for the crackling of the fire and the buzzing of insects. No one seemed quite willing to break it. Or perhaps they were just following their prince's lead. Either way, if someone didn't start this terrible conversation soon, Jason might just explode.

That is if Prompto didn't explode first.

"You knew, didn't you?" Noctis finally broke the quiet, tone deceptively calm.

There was only one thing that Noctis could have been referring to. Or, well, two, but Jason didn't think Noctis was asking about the power drain thing. Jason already promised not to do it again.

Taking a long, bracing breath, Jason answered the accusation. "Yeah. Yeah I did."

The admission hung in the air between them heavily, the simmering anger just beneath the surface of the prince's grimace rising visibly.

"I would have told you," Jason started defensively when no one else spoke. "But–fuck," he scrubbed an irritated hand through his tangled hair, grimacing at the pull on his bandages. "This is so messed up."

"That's one hell of an understatement," Gladiolus grumbled. His words couldn't have cut any sharper if they were made of steel.

"I didn't–Look, I didn't know _how_ it was going to happen, or even really when. I just knew that it would."

"Doesn't matter," Noctis spat. "You had the chance to tell us and you didn't. I should have you executed for treason! I should–" Gladiolus leaned forward as if ready to pounce at the prince's word, but Jason cut him off angrily before the tirade could gain any momentum.

"When did I have the chance to tell you, _your Highness?"_ Jason snarled back, defensive. "Before or after your asses ditched me in the _desert!"_

The shield took a threatening step forward. Jason flinched, ready to jump to his feet, injuries be damned.

"Gladio," Ignis said calmly, and after a tense moment the man stepped back with a grim set to his jaw. Likewise, Jason and Noctis eased back down. Once all three men settled again, Ignis continued. "There wasn't anything we could have done."

Jason blinked in surprise at the unexpected support. Judging by the cold shoulder he was receiving though, he doubted it was for his sake.

" _What?"_ Noctis hissed.

Ignis deflected his prince's ire, explaining reasonably. "Even if Jason had told us the moment he met us, what then? We drive back to the city? Tell them to stop the signing on the word of a stranger? End up in the middle of a coup we could do nothing to prevent and most likely get killed?"

"WE COULD HAVE DONE _SOMETHING!"_ Noctis screamed, jumping to his feet. "We could have at least warned someone! Warned dad–" his voice broke and he fell silent with a shudder.

"...No." Ignis said softly in an aching contrast to Noctis' cry. "You know as well as I do that the King already knew."

Noctis' breath hitched, and he collapsed back onto his chair, shiny eyes reflecting the fire. It was the harsh reality that the four had avoided putting voice to, one that hurt deeply as it was spoken. The signs were all there, bright as the life-giving sun now that events had come to pass.

"I'm sorry," Jason said quietly. "I really didn't know how it was going to happen–"

"Don't," Noctis cut him a watery glower. "Don't sit there and apologize. You said you were sent to prevent the 'darkness that's coming', but you didn't do a damn thing when it mattered most."

Jason fell silent, the words biting deeply. He knew it wasn't fair to say that to him, but it still hurt.

In hindsight though, his apology probably wasn't exactly welcome. It's not like he knew what it was like to lose practically everything he ever loved overnight. Well. Jason glanced at the other three men around the fire. Not everything. Not yet.

"This isn't the end, is it?" Prompto finally spoke up. He'd been standing aside silently, hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. Jason regarded him in confusion. This was the first time he'd heard Prompto speak since their disagreement and Jason was half convinced he would never say a word in the other man's presence again. He was relieved to hear his voice, but the dread, the insecurity in it was painful to hear.

"What do you mean, Prompto?" Ignis asked, but Prompto didn't look away from Jason's eyes.

He stepped closer, campfire casting a warm ligh on his face. "You said before that the game would end in tragedy. I might not know much about the Will of the Gods or any of that stuff, but I do know these past few weeks would not have made a very good plot, and the hero of the story is never so far from the action." His voice got quiet, solemn. "We were never supposed to be in Insomnia, were we? This is only the beginning."

"What the hell are you talking about, Prom?" Gladio said sharply. "This is no time to–"

"You're right," Jason answered over Gladio, ignoring him completely. The other three men exchanged baffled glances, but Jason only had eyes for Prompto, frowning seriously. "You guys are barely level seven. This is only the first chapter."

Prompto nodded, as if his worst fears were confirmed, but Noctis had had enough of their cryptic words.

" _What are you talking about!?"_ He didn't stand again, but a sharp gust of wind seemed to respond to his displeasure, setting them all on edge. "What do you mean, we're only level seven?"

Both Prompto and Jason froze in shock. "You...you heard me?" Jason asked slowly.

"We heard you." Ignis said, narrowing his eyes. "Explain."

"This had better be good," Gladio added his own two cents.

Jason and Prompto exchanged a long look before Prompto shrugged, as if to say 'worth a try?'.

"I...this is a video game?" Jason tried, carefully examining their faces.

"A videogame," Ignis repeated flatly. All three looked on with a distinct edge of impatience. Noctis looked close to all out throttling him.

This was unbelievable. They could understand him! Prompto gave him an excited wave of encouragement, looking as bewildered as he felt.

Okay. Here we go again. For real this time. He spoke rapidly, afraid that if he took too long the spell would break and he'd be back to square one. "I'm from a different world and this is a videogame called Final Fantasy that I played a few months ago and I felt like playing it again but something weird was going on and Prompto saw me–" he ran out of breath and inhaled quickly before vomiting the rest of the story out into their stunned faces, "and somehow pulled me into the game but you guys couldn't understand me for some reason and thought I was some kind of messenger who knows the future and I guess I kind of do but I don't think I was sent by the gods–"

"Stop!" Noctis cut him off abruptly with an upraised hand. A ringing silence fell over the camp. Noctis opened his mouth to say something but closed it, helplessly looking at Ignis in a bid for sanity.

He wouldn't be finding any of that in Jason, that was for sure.

Ignis looked just as perplexed "You think this is a videogame," he reiterated slowly.

Jason and Prompto nodded rapidly.

"And you were trying to tell us you were from another world but we couldn't understand you." They nodded again and Ignis shook his head in confusion. "Prompto, why are you nodding?"

"Um…" the blonde shifted nervously. "Because I believe him?"

"You believe–you have got to be kidding me." Gladiolus threw his hands in the air.

"No, really guys! It was nuts! I was hearing music everywhere, you guys were acting really out of character, and bam! Jason shows up with the perfect explanation!"

"That was different!"

"It wasn't!" Prompto insisted loudly. "I don't know what you guys were hearing, but he was trying to tell you and you were getting ideas that weren't even close to what he said!"

"Okay, okay, okay," Noctis shouted over the din. "Everyone shut up! You," he pointed at Jason, who put his hands up in surrender, "talk. We won't interrupt. Start from the beginning, and this time maybe breathe?"

Jason did. He told them everything, just as he had the first time. There was the lingering fear that he would be Filtered again, but that didn't seem to be the case this time around for whatever reason.

When he was finished, Noctis took a deep breath, carding his hands over his knees. "Juuust so we're all on the same page. You think this is a videogame." He raised a brow, as if saying it for the third time would somehow change Jason's mind. Jason nodded impatiently. "Okay, that was not even _close_ to what you told us the first time."

"That's _exactly_ what–"

"Prom," Noctis interrupted with a pleading look. Prompto swallowed his words, wringing his hands together and biting his lip. "Ignis? What do you think?"

"It's hard to say," Ignis said slowly. Gladio scoffed. "He seems to truly believe this."

Jason frowned at Ignis' tone, but didn't get the chance to defend himself. "Explanations?" Noctis soldiered on.

"Ignoring the ludicrous claim that this is a videogame," –Jason thought the sarcasm was rather unnecessary– "there are a few things we might want to consider. One, Jason has abilities that are unheard of in normal circumstances, among them the ability to stop time and the ability to say one thing while the subject hears another, if Prompto is to be believed."

Judging by Prompto's face, he most certainly didn't appreciate the dubious looks sent in his direction.

"We do know for certain though, that he can possess a member of the royal family and summon objects from the armiger, things that only Gods, Messengers, and members of the Line of Lucius are purported to do."

Noctis raised a brow and gave Jason a long look, no doubt completely dismissing the idea he could be a god. Rude. "So he might be a long lost cousin or something?" Noctis said dubiously. "Then why the wild story?"

Ignis gestured at the affronted subject at hand, who was starting to believe they had forgotten he could actually hear them. "Regardless of whether we believe his story, we _did_ believe it when he said he was a Messenger."

"So? At least that makes _some_ sense."

" _So,_ if it wasn't _Jason_ who wanted us to believe he was a Messenger, then who did?"

Eyes widened all around.

"You're saying someone else is behind all of this?" Gladio questioned slowly.

"What other explanation is there? Jason's clearly been fighting this from the beginning." Ignis finally addressed Jason, who was doing a charming imitation of a constipated bear. "Jason, you said your words were being edited as you said them. When exactly did that change?"

Jason thought back. "I'm not sure, exactly. With Cor, I was actively trying to say things that wouldn't be changed. Right now is the first time I tried to tell the truth again."

"But you decided to find us, and thus fulfill the role assigned."

"...Yeah, I guess."

"So, it stopped happening when you accepted your role, is that correct?"

Jason opened his mouth. Closed it. Sonofabitch. He was _playing along,_ wasn't he. There wasn't any need to change what he said if he was already pissing on cue.

"Okay, great," Prompto piped up. "So, someone out there is feeling pretty smug right about now. But are we just going to ignore the _real_ behemoth in the room?"

"What would that be?" Noctis scoffed. "Oh, the fact that this man is _clearly insane?_ Are we seriously believing this right now?"

"Hey," Jason defended, "Your life force is connected to a _magical sentient rock_ , I wouldn't be so quick to judge!"

"You think this isn't real!"

"NO, I DON'T!" Jason stood, slashing the air violently. He took a deep breath with a wince, shifting to one leg, before looking Prompto straight in the eye and continuing in a more subdued tone. "This world is real. YOU are real." He let the unspoken apology hang between them for a moment, but when Prompto remained impassive he let it go with a twinge of guilt. "Look, I don't know how I got here, or who's pulling my strings," he looked pointedly at Ignis, "but I do have knowledge of this world's future and I've decided to help you, _heaven_ help me. Now, you can either accept my help or let me go so I can find a way back home."

"You're not going anywhere," Gladio interjected immediately with a threatening jab of his finger. "Last time we let you out of our sight you nearly killed Noctis. I don't care what you are, you're too dangerous to let wander off on your own."

"He's right." Ignis interjected. "Regardless of the truth of the matter, we can't afford to let you leave."

"Fine! I'm your _prisoner_ then!" Jason rasped, at the end of his rope. "Just please, let me _sleep_ already!" He swayed on his one leg, exhaustion pulling him to the ground inevitably. He fell back into his chair in a wave of vertigo, utterly spent. He felt eyes on him, but didn't move to acknowledge them.

He just wanted a nice, uninterrupted night of sleep without forced unconsciousness or the goddamn world ending. Please.

"Highness," Ignis said after a loaded pause. "It's up to you."

"...Jason comes with us." Noctis' voice drifted tiredly over the fire. "Let's just sleep. We can figure this out in the morning." That last part sounded more like a plea than anything else, and Jason considered he probably wasn't the only one at the end of his rope.

A silent signal had been given then, and there was shuffling about the camp. The rattle of chairs. The zipper of the tent coming undone. Jason didn't even open his eyes, tired enough that he felt he could easily sleep in this chair the whole night through.

After a short while, a hand fell onto his shoulder, jolting him out of his fatigue induced half-fugue.

Prompto stood over him, uncertain frown marring his usually cheerful features. "Did you mean it?" he asked in a whisper, words for Jason's ears only. "Did you mean it when you said I was real?"

A discomfiting swirl of guilt and regret tied itself into a tight little ball in Jason's throat at the look of insecurity in the blonde's face. He remembered the harsh words he said that still haunt him, how untrue they were. As he absorbed the warmth the young man beside him seemed to radiate even in his subdued state, saw the desire for life simmering behind those baby blues, he wondered how he could have ever thought Prompto wasn't real. "...Yeah. I did."

Prompto gave Jason a tentative smile that pulled at the man's heartstrings and after a moment, pulled Jason to his feet. "Come on, you can share my sleeping bag."

Jason's near silent involuntary hiss had Prompto pausing. "Oh," he said quietly. "Right." With a cursory glance at the tent–the other three were already inside–Prompto summoned a healing potion and held it out for Jason to take.

Jason's eyes flicked to the glowing bottle freely offered and back to Prompto's face. He hesitated, unsure. "I, um," he mumbled. "I really am sorry, Prom. I didn't mean what I said."

To his surprise, the blonde let out an awkward chuckle, averting his eyes and rubbing the back of his neck, abashed. "I know, dude! I'm, uh, sorry for...abandoning you in the desert." He winced, peeking up at Jason from the corner of his eye.

Jason couldn't help it. A slow grin spread across his face, just a little bit of tension leaking from his overstressed body. Prompto's shyness, his casual forgiveness, had Jason feeling better than he had since this entire craziness began. "You're really something, you know that?"

The reaction was immediate. Prompto's face exploded with color, freckles standing out starkly against his flushed cheeks and Jason guffawed. "W-who me? I'm nothing special." When Jason just continued to snicker, Prompto grabbed his hand and crushed the potion with Jason's slack fingers. Healing magic rushed through the exhausted man and Jason's chuckles turned into a pleasured groan of relief.

Prompto flushed darker, snatching his hands away. Still, he smiled, a crooked, adorable thing on the side of his lips. "Come on, dude, let's hit the sack."

He helped Jason to the tent and ducked inside. Jason paused at the entrance, just looking in on a view he never thought he would actually see, was never really _meant_ to see.

Noctis lay on his stomach, already passed out cold, tucked on the other side of a protective Ignis. The older man didn't even acknowledge Jason, eyes closed. Gladiolus sat propped in the corner, poking at his phone, watching over his lover and prince. Prompto settled down in his sleeping bag, barely big enough for one on the very end.

There wasn't any space for Jason. Not in this tent. Not with the four of them. Seeing how natural they were together, how comfortable, had Jason's chest pang with loneliness.

Jason didn't miss anyone in particular, if he was being honest. He was an unattached bachelor after all, and he didn't have anything in particular to go home to. It had been at least a year since he'd seen his family last, as they lived in another state, and it wasn't like he couldn't go a long time without seeing his friends. Even Nat, his closest friend, they could go months without talking to each other and still pick up like they'd been chatting every day.

He guessed what he really missed was the _option_ to talk to someone if he needed to. Or just the fact that even if he hadn't seen them for a long time, someone out there cared about him. The hostility and danger in this messed up world has been a hard pill to swallow, especially since he felt so utterly alone.

Or maybe he was just jealous. What was it even _like_ to be so close? Jason didn't know if he would ever get the opportunity to find out.

And yet, maybe he just might. When Prompto sensed Jason hesitating, he turned back with a small smile, lifting the edge of his blanket in silent offering.

Something in him eased just a little, and Jason stepped inside, closing the tent flap behind him.

–

AN:

Short chapter today. Or rather, just kind of uneventful? Next one will be action packed, and Jason will get the chance to gain some trust!

Jason has become his own monster. No really, he's nothing like the original man I based him off of anymore. Well that's not entirely true. I'm sticking close to mannerisms, fighting abilities, sexuality, cultural background and looks, but as far as motivations go, he's growing into a different person. I guess that's the fun thing about writing, your characters seem to take over after a while.

Meh, all for the best. I think it would be weird if he did stay exactly like my friend when I write some of the things Jason will get up to ;")

Listen guys. I felt motivated to write this chapter so quickly because I received feedback :D It _really_ helps. I'm pretty unlikely to write more when I don't think anyone's actually waiting for it, true story. So thanks to everyone who left me kind notes in my inbox :)) If you enjoy a motivated Lynnxrider, you know what to do.


	14. Mission

Jason was the first to wake.

How did he know that exactly? Because he could hear all four of them still sawing logs in the cramped confines of the tent. There was something to be said about sharing such a small space with four other men. Several somethings actually.

Men snored. Jason knew he was guilty of that himself, but he had to wonder how any of them could sleep at all when the five of them collectively sounded like a chainsaw convention. Well, that wasn't entirely fair. Ignis, Prompto and Noctis were pretty quiet, sounding more like purring cats than anything. It was Gladio that won the award for most obnoxious bedfellow. Small wonder how either Noctis or Ignis could sleep next to him considering he was practically smothering them like a big obnoxious vibrator. Come to think of it, the man had crowded all of them somehow, climbing into the middle of the pile in his sleep and spreading his ridiculous wingspan over all of them. Even Jason wasn't immune, giant hand burning hotly through his shirt against the small of his back.

And my god it was cramped. Well...honestly out of everything, that didn't bother him all that much. It was actually kind of...nice? Jason was jammed against the side of the tent on his stomach, Prompto half lying atop him, cheek resting on his shoulder blade and arm cuddled into his chest. Gladiolus' arm draped over them both, and though Prompto didn't put off that much heat in the chill desert morning, the larger man did, acting as a sort of space heater for everyone. Jason hadn't slept this close to anyone in a long while, his (very) few past lovers not exactly the sticking around types. Not that he'd wanted them to be. They were fleeting, at best.

Awkward affairs, those.

In any case, the closeness, especially after all of the danger and drama he'd faced over the past few days, made him feel surprisingly safe.

But he only had to remember that Gladiolus' touch was not intentional, that everyone in this tent would probably rather he never showed up at all, to abolish any comfort he might have derived over the situation.

Fluffy morning haze ruined, Jason attempted to wiggle away, trying to figure out the best way to disentangle himself without waking up the lot. The second he tried to move, though, two things happened. One, Prompto shifted into any empty space he might have made between them like a damn suction cup, practically plastering himself to Jason's side. Two, Gladiolus fell startlingly silent, waking with a jerk.

Jason fell immediately still, closing his eyes and feigning sleep. He had no desire to face the larger man just yet, especially not when Jason was practically pasted to one of his friends and Gladio's hand was still burning against his skin.

No reason to rush into another day of distrust and hostility, after all.

After a second, Gladio levered himself up and his hand withdrew, leaving the skin where it had been to cool. Jason couldn't help but shiver. In response, Prompto wiggled impossibly closer.

Several moments passed as Jason could feel eyes burning into his person, but Gladio didn't disturb them, much to his relief. He was glad he was facing away, because he didn't think he could keep on pretending for long. Eventually, he heard some shuffling, and the sound of Ignis humming awake as well. After some silent communique Jason couldn't discern, both men left the tent, zipping it closed behind them.

Jason opened his eyes slowly once they'd left, heart pounding with nerves. He knew he would have to face them soon, but he just wanted to enjoy this one peaceful moment, where his body wasn't in pain and his life wasn't in danger, for just a little while longer. It was still just before dawn, so Jason closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax into Prompto's embrace. Soon enough, his still drained body pulled him back into the comforting confines of sleep.

–

It was to the glorious smell of real, honest to god food cooking that woke him some time later. The sun had fully risen it seemed, and he was no longer cocooned beneath Prompto. Rolling onto his back with a groan, Jason rubbed his hands over his face and stretched his sore muscles with several satisfying pops. The temperature had risen considerably, making the tent stifling, though it appeared that only he and Noctis remained. The prince, true to form, was still out cold.

The tent flap hung open, allowing both a breeze and the wonderful smell to waft inside, dispelling the unpleasant musk of too many bodies in an enclosed space he'd been inhaling before. Quiet humming could be heard, and judging by the brightness, Jason had only slept another half hour or so. Somehow, though, he felt infinitely better than he had the first time he woke. There was something to be said about snoozing he guessed.

Steeling himself, Jason propped himself up and ducked out of the tent, resigned to another hostile staring contest with Ignis and Gladio.

He was actually pleasantly surprised. Neither of the men were in camp, the only person around a swaying Prompto who stood over the camp stove messing with something Jason couldn't see from his angle. Taking a cursory look around, confirming that yes, Gladio and Ignis were nowhere to be seen, he stepped closer to Prompto, bare feet slapping the still cool stone of the haven.

"Good morning," Jason said quietly.

Still, Prompto jumped a bit, glancing over his shoulder, startled. He grinned. "Mornin'!" was his cheerful answer before he turned back to what he was doing. Jason walked around the table, curious. Some kind of meat that looked like ham was sizzling away on the small stove, a porridge of some sort already done and steaming in a pot beside it.

"This looks amazing," Jason groaned, stomach practically drowning out his voice as it made its protest over not eating properly for days known.

The blonde chuckled, flipping one of the slices clumsily. "Don't give me too much credit. Ignis made the porridge. I'm just warming up the meat."

"Prompto, at this point, I could eat a horse by myself."

"What's a horse?" The man tilted his head to the side, little wrinkle appearing between his brows.

Huh. Guess those didn't exist in this world. "Uh. It's basically a spiricon without the horn."

"Oooh. Don't know why you'd want to eat one of those. They're kinda nasty."

Jason scrunched up his face, but conceded the point with a shrug. How would he know anyway? It's not like he'd ever eaten one. Or a horse for that matter. Whatever.

"Where are Ignis and Gladiolus?" Jason asked, nervousness creeping into his voice despite his best efforts.

Prompto snorted. "Dude, no one calls him Gladiolus. And they left a little while ago to go look for Cor."

"Yeah, well...I'm not exactly on nickname basis with the guy am I?" Jason muttered, eyeing the hunter camp at the base of the hill not too far away.

Prompto's smile dimmed a little. "Right." But then he perked up. "I wouldn't worry about that for long though. You already promised not to hurt Noct again, and you're here to help us after all! I'm sure they'll come around. You're still alive, right?"

"Real reassuring, Prom…" Jason deadpanned.

"Hey, you used _my_ nickname! That's progress!"

Jason shrugged. "I actually _like_ you. Also, you're the only one who hasn't threatened my life."

"Yeah, I know. I'm awesome," Prompto preened.

That pulled a chuckle from Jason, a giddy feeling behind his sternum. This guy's light just couldn't be dimmed, could it? "Okay, sunshine boy. Your ham is burning."

"Sunshine–? Gah! My breakfast!" Jason's full belly laugh covered up most of Prompto's scrambling, earning him a sharp slap of the spatula the clumsy cook wielded like a fly swatter.

"Haha, ow! Prom!" Jason held up his hands defensively with a huge grin. His mirth faded swiftly though as two piercing blue eyes stabbed him with ice from the other side of the camp. Noctis had awoken sometime during their play and now stood glaring at Jason with a scowl. His narrowed gaze passed between Jason and his best friend and Jason straightened immediately, instinctively stepping away from Prompto.

Prompto's laughter ceased as he absorbed the agitation rising between the two men. With an awkward chuckle, he dismissed the rising tensions and waved enthusiastically at the ruffled prince, dramatics doing a lot to ease the hostility before it could begin. "Noct, you woke up by yourself! I'm so proud!"

"Shut up," Noctis grumbled, expression softening even as he pouted, crossing his arms. When Prompto turned back to his breakfast, however, the glare was back, Noctis walking up to subtly move in between Jason and Prompto before dismissing the man altogether.

Jason's eyebrows lifted. Oh. So that was how it was. Juuuust great. Now he would have to deal with Noctis' jealousy when Jason spoke to pretty much the only person here who didn't hate him. Jason rolled his eyes as Noctis practically draped himself against Prompto's back playfully, demanding to be fed. Jason decided it was time to peace out when Prompto began exchanging a banter with the prince that made little sense to the out of place man.

With an annoyed huff, Jason stalked off the side of the haven, only to slump against its wall and watch the sunrise. He crossed his arms. Jeez, he hadn't realized that _all_ of them were together. Or at least Noctis seemed to think so. Not like it mattered anyway. It wasn't like Noctis would actually be threatened by _Jason_ of all people.

He wondered idly if Noctis actually had a thing for Luna at all. He doubted it, judging by what he just saw. But meh, none of his business. He certainly wasn't close enough to the man to ask.

Didn't matter. He was here to do a job. How exactly was he going to do that, anyway?

The guys didn't believe him. Well, Prompto did, but he didn't really seem to have much say in the group, honestly. And even if they did, what would–should–he reveal?

But he was getting ahead of himself again. He would decide that when the time came they were ready to listen to him. And in order to do that, he would have to gain their trust.

Somehow.

A small scuffle above him interrupted Jason's musings and he glanced up into a bright smile. "What are you doing down there, buddy?"

"Trying not to provoke his royal grumpiness."

"Pft. It's fine, you weren't even doing anything."

"..."

Whelp. That answered that question. Prompto was completely clueless. Good luck to you, Noctis. You're going to need it.

"Here," Prompto handed him a bowl. "You better eat before Iggy and Gladio get back. We probably won't have a lot of time once we find Cor." And he disappeared over the ledge before Jason could thank him.

Jason looked down at the bowl with a frown before quickly stuffing his face. Great. Now he had to deal with Cor again. At least this food actually tasted good. Jason would compliment Ignis on his cooking if he thought he wouldn't get stabbed for it.

He could already tell it was going to be another long day.

–

Prompto stood back up and left Jason to his brooding, humming softly to himself with a little smile. He wandered over to the stove again to check–for the fourth time–that he actually turned it off.

Hey, don't judge! He'd totally done that before and nearly burned down his apartment. Prompto grabbed his own bowl and dug in happily, delighted that the gighee ham was edible. Iggy's porridge was spot on as always, and easily covered up the flavor of the over salted meat. It was a wonder of wonders that Ignis even let him near the stove at all, but Ignis seemed to have more on his mind at the moment than potential culinary disasters.

They all did.

And don't get him wrong, what happened was a terrible tragedy. It still didn't seem real to Prompto though. It felt kind of abstract until he'd actually seen it for himself. If he thought about it really hard, then yeah, he would feel depressed, but Prompto wasn't going to think too much about it only to send himself into a downward spiral. No, that was the last thing any of them needed.

If he did, he'd just become a useless needy lump and then who would make sure Noctis stayed out of the depression he's been known to fall into? Who would make sure someone took care of Iggy when he was too busy taking care of everyone else? Who would calm Gladio's temper with a few well placed jokes?

Who would make sure no one bullied Jason?

Something lighthearted and bright bubbled up in Prompto's stomach at the thought of the extradimensional man, and the feeling quickly tickled him into a smile. Yeah, Jason might have been a complete jerk the day before, but he apologized! Even though what Prompto did to him was _definitely_ worse. And he even owned up to the power drain thing with Noctis, even though it didn't really seem to be his fault! And, and...having someone know Prompto's secret and still accept him anyway. That meant more to Prompto than Jason probably realized.

Well, not that Prompto knew much about that himself. Best not think about that now though, not when his heart felt so light.

It was when Prompto let out a small little giggle that he recognized the fledgeling beginnings of a crush. Huh. Well. He glanced back over to the ledge, even though he couldn't see Jason. His face bloomed into a blush as he buried it back in his food. Jason was definitely attractive with his long black hair–It just looked so silky! Prompto wanted to bury his fingers in it!–and exotic features. And sleeping against his firm back the night before had been...nice. Yes. Very nice.

Worry didn't even cross his mind as he continued to eat. Prompto had a crush on a lot of people after all. It wasn't like anyone ever wanted him _back_ _,_ and with all of them being impossible in one way or another, why stress over it?

He wondered how he should categorize this one.

He had crushes on all of his bros of course, he couldn't deny that. I mean, have you seen them? Yum. Luna was on that list, definitely. Cor, Cindy, that kingsglaive guy with the little braid and the undercut who'd smiled at him in passing a couple times. Even had a little attraction to King Regis–he would take that one to his _grave._ Those sparkling green eyes, and the way he _held_ himself... A little frown at the thought of Regis pulled Prompto down slightly before he caught himself.

He shook it off. Just keep smiling Prompto.

The blonde decided he would rank it somewhere between Cindy and Noctis; that sweet spot between admiration from afar and 'this could never happen, so just enjoy the burn'. Yeah. That sounded good.

He was a good halfway through his food when he finally noticed the eyes burning a hole in his face from across the dead campfire. Noctis sat completely still, that little frown between his brows that showed up whenever he was thinking too hard about something, food untouched.

"Wha?" Prompto mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"You like him." Noctis said quietly enough that Prompto barely heard him.

Prompto immediately choked on his spoon, fighting for breath around his surprise. Noctis seemed to take that as a confirmation, because his expression stormed over, eyes narrowing.

"Well, yeah. He's actually pretty cool to talk to when you're not screaming at him, buddy."

Noctis bared his teeth, eyes darkening. "He has a lot to answer for."

"No," Prompto frowned. "He doesn't, actually. Iggy said it himself, Jason telling us wouldn't have helped."

Noctis shook his head in denial, but let it go. "Not what I meant Prom. You _like_ him."

Prompto tilted his head curiously at the acid in his friend's voice. He wasn't sure why Noctis seemed surprised about this. Prompto was hardly subtle about his crushes. Like. Ever. "So?"

Noctis' lips twitched. "I don't like it. Stay away from him."

Now it was Prompto's turn to be annoyed. Noctis' possessive behavior over the three of them wasn't new–it was pretty entertaining when Gladio was trying to date with anyone other than Ignis–but this seemed a little overboard. "I don't see _how._ We kind of have to travel with him." Prompto rolled his eyes over whatever bratty thing Noctis was going to hiss next and talked in a normal voice, ending the hushed conversation. "You better eat up, Noct! I can see the Regalia making it's way over, and you know Gladdy will be chomping at the bit to get going."

Prompto watched in satisfaction as, looking vaguely alarmed, Noctis began scarfing down his food like his life depended on it.

A few minutes later, the crunch of gravel announced the arrival of the Regalia and three figures made their way over the top of the haven. Prompto stood immediately as Cor Leonis followed Gladio and Iggy into the camp, the man's face as serious as Prompto ever saw it. Nerves clawed at his stomach as he held his shoulders as straight as his thin frame allowed.

Prompto had known Cor for as long as he could remember. He'd always been there in one way or another throughout Prompto's life. Of course, when he was a kid, he had no idea who the serious man who showed up every once in awhile to check in on him was, but he wised up about halfway through middle school. While Prompto didn't remember how he came into the care of his foster parents, he had been told that Cor was the one who brought him to Insomnia. Prompto had tried to ask him once–stuttering profusely, as he always did around the older soldier–but Cor was tight lipped about the subject. The man didn't seem to like Prompto at first, regarding him with a distant coldness, but ever since Prompto started hanging out with Noctis and joined the crownsguard, Cor and he had been growing a little closer.

If you could call awkward pats on the shoulder and stilted conversations becoming close to someone. Still, Cor was someone Prompto had always wanted the approval of. Who wouldn't? The man was a legend.

"Cor!" Prompto shouted, too loudly. He winced, but when the man's taciturn eyes landed on him and gave him that barely there smile, something inside Prompto practically glowed.

"Hey, kid," Cor said, smooth voice a welcome familiarity in all the craziness of late. Prompto grinned back. Cor shifted a bundle in his arms–a mess of leather and steel it looked like–and looked around. "Where's Jason?"

"Here," Jason's voice came from behind, and Prompto glanced at him as the man levered himself onto the haven and walked over.

Jason's gaze was as cold as it was uncertain, but Cor hardly seemed affected.

"You're healed," Cor said without blinking. "Good. You're going to need your strength." He tossed the bundle to Jason, who caught it deftly and glanced down at it suspiciously. Cor shrugged at the unspoken question. "You suck at using weapons. I found you some body armor that will protect you and supplement your fighting style when you go hand to hand."

Jason gaped, clearly surprised. "...Thanks."

"This guy can fight?" Gladio asked skeptically, and Jason snapped him an affronted look.

"Yes." Cor answered, monotone. "Quite well, in fact. If he'd been properly equipped, he might have even been useful last night."

Jason muttered under his breath, but didn't complain as he stripped apart the armor and examined it on the ground. Prompto shuffled over curiously as well. It wasn't anything special, just some arm and leg guards, reinforced with bladed steel along the fists, forearms and shins. A faint magic buzzed Prompto's senses, but it didn't feel particularly strong. Prompto tuned back into the conversation as Jason began to pull them on over his clothes.

"Cor," Noctis spoke up, no nonsense tone. "What happened in the city? Were you there?"

"Your Highness," Cor said solemnly. "It is good to see you in good health." He closed his eyes briefly before starting to speak matter-of-factly. "King Regis sent me away from the city before the signing. I left the same day as you."

"What? Why?" Noct said in disbelief. "You are one of his most powerful soldiers. You could have helped!"

Cor frowned sternly. "Regis knew what was coming. He sent me away in the chance that he was killed and the city lost to guide you and lead the resistance."

"That's bullshit," Noctis yelled, losing his temper. "You should have been there, at his side where you belong. I should have been there–"

"If you and I had been there, your Highness, we would be dead," Cor rebuffed bluntly.

Noctis fell silent, hands clenching.

"If the king sent you away, then he must have had some sort of plan," Ignis said, adjusting his glasses before crossing his arms.

"Of a sort. He's tasked you four with collecting the weapons of the Line of Lucius through the royal tombs scattered around Eos. Once you have them, Noctis, you will be able to awaken the crystal's power."

"Oh, and then what?", Noctis said sullenly. "They have the crystal, Insomnia is destroyed, and we don't even know where the Ring of Lucii is. The Empire won."

Everyone's eyes turned to the acidic prince with varying degrees of shock. Cor's frown deepend, tone rising sharply. "Your people need you still, Noctis. Their homes may be destroyed but they remain, waiting for their King to lead them from the tyranny of the Empire."

"The King is _dead!"_

"The King lives!" Cor stepped into Noctis' space, looming over him and demanding the attention of the recalcitrant young man. In a quieter, though no less stern tone, he said, "He just has yet to _wake up."_ Noctis glared fiercely, body shimmering in his fury, but Cor would not back down. "You are the _only one_ who can deliver them. Would you abandon them, your Highness?"

Prompto trembled as the tension rose, gaze flicking between the two bowed men frantically. He wanted to step forward, to ease the pain he could see in the line of Noctis' shoulders, but when he made to move forward to defend his friend, a sharp shake of the head from Gladio stopped him in his tracks. Gladiolus stood stoically, arms crossed over his chest and observing the confrontation with all seriousness. Prompto wondered why neither he nor Ignis had made a move to intervene, but he could see Ignis standing just as tense, expression grim.

And then Prompto understood. This wasn't about Noctis, not really. Noctis needed to realize on his own that his mission, his _people,_ were more important than his feelings. The prince had been coddled since youth by a sympathetic Regis, the older man wanting to spare his son as much pressure as he could before he was forced to pass on his title and burden. Noctis had been given more freedom than any crown prince could probably afford, and now must come to terms with the mantle of his responsibilities in full, suddenly and irrevocably.

And if any of them intervened, it would only hold him back. Prompto felt sadness well up in him then, reminded once again that Noctis wasn't just his best friend. He was Prompto's Prince. His King, now. The burden of his station had ever weighed on Noctis' shoulders, and he could see them bowing beneath the pressure more than ever.

Noctis' magic dissipated. His chin dropped. "No," he said softly, stepping back. "No, I won't abandon them. Of course not."

Despite the concern they felt for their prince, all three of his crownsgaurd eased at his words. They loved him more than life itself, and yet to have him doubt his own destiny put them all on edge. Pride shimmered in Ignis' eyes, and his nod of approval had Noctis' lips twitch in a small smile, despite the grim situation.

Cor stepped back, satisfied. "Your first tomb is located not far from here, just past the hunter base. The second is in an abandoned underground bunker in the old city."

"You aren't coming with us?" Prompto asked quickly, disappointed.

Cor shook his head. "I need to investigate the Empire's movements. With most of the Kingsglaive and Insomnia's forces destroyed, our spy network is crippled. With any luck, I can locate the crystal and gather what forces remain."

"Alright," Noctis said, a little color returning to his pale face. "Keep me posted."

"Yes, your Highness. Messenger boy," Jason jumped, seeming surprised to be addressed. Cor pursed his lips. "Stay out of trouble." Ignoring the man's stuttered response, Cor gave each of them a look before nodding once, turning on his heel and leaving the camp behind.

Prompto took in a long, deep breath, letting some of his stress go now that that was over with. "Hokay, so what now?"

"You heard the man," Gladio shrugged, shaking out his arms before beginning to pick up the camp chairs to put away. "We find the tombs and get the crystal's power."

"Ah, right, right." Prompto started to follow Gladio's lead, the other two joining him in breaking down the camp. When Prompto passed Noctis, he patted him on the back with a grin, receiving a small smile in return.

"Wait, hold on a sec," Jason interjected. "What about me?" He stood with his hands held out to his sides in question, new gear adorning his limbs and frustration painted in every line of his body.

Movement in the camp stopped. Ignis and Gladio shared a long look before Ignis spoke. "Cor doesn't believe you are a spy, but has no further theories to add to what you might be."

"Well...that's good, right?" Prompto asked optimistically.

"He has advised us to keep you close."

Ignis looked to Noctis for confirmation, but Noctis only grunted. "Whatever," he said, going back to folding the sleeping bags and ignoring Jason completely.

Lips twitching with some suppressed emotion at Noctis' rudeness, Ignis turned back to Jason. "You will be accompanying us for now, until we can discover more about your...situation. Please refrain from using your abilities, as we do not yet know their full consequences."

Jason started to say something, but Gladio cut him off. "Just stay out of our way and you won't get hurt."

It wasn't a threat, Prompto knew, but a warning that Gladio couldn't guarantee his safety, but Jason didn't seem to understand that. The shield might not have seen the flicker of fear in Jason's eyes, as he had gone back to packing the tent, but Prompto did. He winced. Walking over to the dark skinned man, he tried to explain.

In an undertone, he said, "He didn't mean it like that, buddy. He just means that we are sworn to protect Noctis, and might not be able to help you if you get in trouble."

"...Oh." Jason muttered, looking down with his brows drawn.

Prompto didn't like that expression. Not at all. With the most reassuring smile he could muster, he patted the man on the shoulder. "Come on, help us get this stuff packed. We've got a lot of walking to do."

Jason's chocolate eyes met his, uncertain and dark with frustration. They softened when their gazes met, though, and Prompto's smile grew, stomach fluttering pleasantly. "Okay," Jason said.

"Hey. It's gonna be okay! We'll figure all this out, you'll see."

This time, Jason's smile was a bit more genuine. "Yeah."

"Prompto, get a move on!"

"R-right, be right there!" With one last pat to the taller man's shoulder, Prompto threw himself into his tasks, gathering the gear into a pile for Noctis to store in his armiger. What he didn't see was the staring contest between Noctis and Jason, too busy and anxious about the future to give them much heed.

They had their mission now, and Prompto actually felt kind of better? It felt better than the sickening uncertainty of yesterday, that was for certain. A lot of stuff was up in the air right now, but they had a direction to move forward in, and that was just what Prompto needed.

It was time to start setting things right.

–

AN: I really wanted to get to some action, but I feel like I threw a lot of stuff at you guys in this chapter, so the second half will be posted in the next couple days. And Cor is a character with real motivations. Yay!

And hello, romantic tension, it's nice to meet you! Haha, if anyone can guess what's up with Jason, I'll be pleasantly surprised. He's going to be an interesting character to write when it comes to romance. And I always thought Prompto would be a man to love freely and often, but never expect love in return. Idk, that's just how I see him. For those of you who were wondering, this story will be just as much about the relationship as the plot. I happen to find fics with successful polyamorous relationships fascinating, and have accepted the challenge ;). Also, if Square Enix teased any harder about a relationship between the chocobros, they all would have permanent handprint shaped marks on their asses haha.

Next chapter: Jason questions videogame logic. And then gets his ass kicked.

Question y'all. Are you understanding the flow of conversation, as far as who is speaking? I don't always lable quotes, relying on tone to identify the speaker. Let me know if it's working. Please, I really need feedback on this, as it's something I'm experimenting with.

Feedback is craved, devoured, and appreciated.


	15. Turmoil

Now that Jason was up close and personal to the reality of his new life he'd (foolishly) committed to, he had a front row seat to how actually bizarre it was. It was just. Incredibly disjointed, he guessed?

There were plenty of things he could fixate on. Like directly after Noctis banished the camping gear into his magical storage space of indeterminable proportions straight out of a Harry Potter film, Ignis did something as mundane as pull out his cell phone and turn on navigation.

Or the fact that literally in the distance, he could see giant horned gazelle creatures frolicking about, and instead of gawking like Jason clearly was _because holy hell giant fantasy creatures,_ Prompto made a tedious remark about the weather of all things.

Or _maybe_ he could fixate on the fact that he was only thinking about this because he was incredibly _bored_ _._ In a magical fantasy video game. That he got sucked into literally through his TV by a man who wasn't even human.

Yes. Disjointed was a good word.

But, like, it was boring. They were just walking, and had been for a good two hours. After humming to himself and staring at the map on his mobile, Ignis declared the road too rough to take the Regalia. Jason had eyed the luxury vehicle in disdain betwixt the vociferous moaning of both Prompto and Noctis, wondering why, out of everything that could have been left out of the strange and still inexplicable interdimensional rules, the monster truck was one of them.

Just his luck.

Would that be a thing that happened? Would they show up at Hammerhead someday in the future and Cindy would suddenly and without reasonable explanation present them with a giant offroading vehicle, free of charge? Somehow Jason doubted it. This world was turning out to be more realistic than he would have expected. After all, if that were to happen, then they might actually be running everywhere instead of walking.

Thank God for small favors.

There had to be a gauge for this. Some kind of reality meter? Because some stuff was still really weird.

He had wondered, when he played the game, why on Earth (Eos?) all of the tombs they had to find were in such obscure, out of the way locations. Like, really? On the edge of a cliff on a massive volcano? Underground, like the one they were currently heading to? In a swamp?

Before, he might have chalked it up to 'because videogame'. Now? He just didn't know.

"Why are these tombs in such random places, anyway?"

His question was the first he had spoken in the entirety of their hike, and he received barely a glance from his rather taciturn walking companions. Not that he really expected much, to be honest. It was only yesterday they were at each other's throats after all. But he would have thought that at least a little tension had been resolved, what with his apology and promise to help slash not abuse his powers. That had to count for something, right? But as the silence dragged on, he had to wonder if it would always be like this.

That was a depressing thought, and one that made his stomach twist with stinging loneliness. He hadn't even been able to talk to the one person who had shown him kindness.

Ever since they left the camp, Noctis dragged Prompto ahead with him, the two bantering back and forth and pushing each other around like a couple of hyperactive morons, leaving Jason to walk in between a silent Ignis and Gladio.

Well, okay, maybe that was a bit harsh. But you couldn't blame him for being annoyed at the prince. Noctis' jealousy was as obvious as it was laughable, considering Prompto didn't seem to have a clue about Noctis' blatant crush on the blonde. It didn't stop the bratty prince from making damn sure to keep Prompto's attention on himself, either by goofing around or talking seriously, too low for Jason to make out in the constant canyon wind annoyingly blowing dust into his eyes every few seconds. Every time Prompto would even start to glance back, Noctis would point something out, or make a dumb joke, basically subtly flipping Jason off at every chance he got.

Which led him to his current predicament. Walking beside two men who clearly wanted nothing to do with him, and blowing his mind with probably the most boring and miserable hike he could have imagined. Well, okay, the scenery of the vast canyon they traversed was breathtaking, rippling, red walls telling an intricate story of centuries of wind and rain and life, but that wasn't nearly enough to drown out the suckiness of the situation.

So what if he was being dramatic? Sue him.

"I mean," he continued his earlier thought, waving his hand vaguely, "don't the royal family kind of need them? Why would anyone want to get buried in an obscure underground bunker–"

Gladio made a grumbling noise that may or may not have been a warning.

"–and don't tell me it's for some morbid reason like 'this is where they fell in battle'. 'Cause I'm not buying it."

"How about I tell you, 'none of your business,' and you just shut up and keep moving?"

Well. That wasn't very nice. Jason pulled sarcasm around him like a thick blanket, convinced he really would go insane if he didn't' at least try to get along with these two. "Lucky for me, I have the marvelous ability to speak and walk at the same time," Jason shot back dryly.

And then immediately tripped over his own feet.

Jason lurched forward, body jerking like something had literally grabbed his foot and pulled, and the only thing that saved him from a full on humiliating faceplant was a rather ridiculous wheeling of his arms. Once he regained his balance, he whipped around to glower accusingly at whatever inconvenient object had obstructed his path, only to find...nothing.

What the–There was nothing even there? How did–A suspicious twitch of Ignis' lips as he stared studiously forward, hands tucked into pockets and stride casual, had Jason spluttering in disbelief. Did he just? Was Ignis–serious, distant, perfectly groomed Ignis–being _playful?_

Shock aside, Jason might have been annoyed. He really might have. Had something amazing not happened.

Gladiolus _laughed._

And sure, it was just a little grunt of amusement, nothing more than an involuntary reaction to an out of place slapstick moment. But there was a genuineness there, a baring of teeth in a shockingly non-threatening way, a hunch of his shoulders that belied amusement rather than aggression. The contrast of this from only a second ago was staggering, and Jason almost couldn't believe it.

And it was so... _warm._ There was just something in the way that his golden eyes lit up, the way that the upward turn of his lips seemed to absorb sunlight and share the warmth with those close enough to bask in it.

Something in it had Jason stomach flipping, his own mouth pulling inevitably upward in response.

To make matters even more surreal, Ignis coughed into his hand, clearly trying his damnedest to hide his own amusement before a mirthful flash of green glanced at Jason out of the corner of his eye, devilish mischievousness a complete shock to the flustered man.

Hair disheveled, sweat dripping disgusting tracks through the grit on his brow, Jason's teeth flashed brightly in the foreign sun as he threw his head back and laughed.

And maybe it was a little hysterical, a little too loud, but it was the most wonderful feeling he couldn't possibly describe after all of the constant pain, fear and regret he'd been made to endure.

Because maybe, if Gladio could laugh instead of being hostile, Ignis could be playful rather than cold, then just maybe things would be alright.

It took him a few seconds to realize he wasn't alone in his laughter, his own gaiety setting Gladio off as well, his rumbling chortles echoing nicely off the other man's. And while Ignis didn't laugh, his smile held a softness to it that eased the harsh edges of his reserve.

Once the tickling contractions in his stomach finally allowed him to breathe, Jason mimed wiping a tear from his eye and gave Ignis a grin. "Aha, okay, you got me. Didn't know you had it in you Ignis."

"I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about."

Jason flashed Gladio a look like 'can you believe this guy?' which he returned with a wink of all things.

And once Jason was over that–a wink, he _winked,_ what is even happening?–and his dumbfounded expression was a little more under control, he coughed once before raising his brow. "Right. That was just me. Being clumsy. Musta been one of those darn invisible rocks. Gets me every time."

Which pulled another chuckle from Gladio. Man, Jason was on a roll.

"Guys, what's the holdup!?" Noctis' irate yell had the three of them snapping out of the strange little bubble they'd been in, Jason taken aback by the violence-promising glare suddenly assaulting his person. He realized with a start that they'd stopped walking for the past couple minutes, but that did not explain the venom in Noctis' gaze.

Jason looked around himself, bewildered. What? What had he done this time?

Noctis narrowed his eyes, alternating his attention between the three of them before turning with a snarl and stalking off. With one curious look at Jason, Prompto chased after the prince, shouting all the while.

"What...just happened?" Jason asked, dazed. "I wasn't even _looking_ at Prompto this time…" His expression darkened. Was Noctis mad because Jason laughed? That was it, wasn't it. Jason was making too much noise for _his Highness,_ looking a little too _happy._

Is that what the prince wanted? For Jason to be dragged along, completely silent and invisible? Jason's stomach clenched, all pleasant feelings receding into a tight little ball.

Did Noctis really hate him that much?

A rough hand landing heavily on his shoulder had Jason startling out of his increasingly dark thoughts. He looked over at Gladio questioningly.

Gladiolus didn't start walking again despite the prince's impatience, small frown darkening his features. He exchanged a long, knowing look with Ignis, who nodded back in confirmation. Before Jason could ask again, Gladio said, "Don't worry about it, he'll get over it."

"Get over _what?"_

"Nothing, nothing. The princess is just in a mood, that's all." The larger man dropped his hand and started forward again, Ignis following suit. Jason followed hesitantly, not entirely sure that was it. There was definitely intent in that look…

"To answer your previous question," Ignis started in a transparent effort to distract Jason, "the Royal tombs change location every time a king passes on."

"What…?" Jason said absently, still stuck in his looping thoughts. "Oh, right, the tombs. Wait, what do you mean they move?" Out of everything he could have said, Jason wasn't expecting that one.

Ignis adjusted his glasses. "Indeed. Many generations ago the Royal Arms–that is, the favored weapons of kings past–were stored in the palace for each new king to inherit. To make a terribly long and complicated story short–"

"The palace got attacked, the Arms were stolen, and the new king decided to make tombs that move around Eos." Ignis' glare had Gladio raise his hands in defense, though not without a shit eating grin. Jason quirked his brow. This was always a thing with them wasn't it? He wondered just how long they'd been together.

"Can I do that?"

"No." Gladiolus said immediately and Ignis sniffed in irritation, much to Jason's amusement. "Anyway, shouldn't you know all of this, videogame boy?"

"Tch. No? I mean, I played Final Fantasy one time all the way through and they never gave more of an explanation than 'Hey, find these weapons because they give you cool powers, and oh, by the way, they're scattered all around the continent in random dangerous places because we wanted this game to be one hundred hours long'. That kind of thing."

Gladio gave him a sidelong look. "So, you really do believe this is a videogame?" It was a redundant question, because yes, hadn't they already established that? But this time, there wasn't anger in his voice, more like an open curiosity.

It might have been that curiosity rather than outright loathing that had Jason pausing instead of answering in his usual waspish way. Still, he merely watched Gladio guardedly, unsure whether this drop in animosity would last.

Something in his face had Gladiolus rolling his eyes. "I'm not going to bite you, kid."

"..." Jason had to physically banish _that_ mental image. "Okay, first of all, I'm twenty four, the same age as you, you ass. Second, you two have been trying to kill me since I _got_ here."

"To be fair," Ignis said reasonably, "you did possess our prince, know of a massive attack on our country, nearly drain Noctis of his life force and then claim to come from another world by impossible means."

"That's...okay, yeah. I'll give you that." Hearing it like that really put it into perspective, he supposed. But. Still. "Anyway, no, I don't think this is a videogame. You guys are definitely real. I'm thinking more like separate dimensions or something. And no," he bowled over whatever Ignis was going to say, "it doesn't make any sense, and quite frankly I've stopped trying to figure it out." He clapped his hands. "Next question."

"Yeah, I've got one. What are you?"

Jason narrowed his eyes at Gladio. There were a number of things he could be referring to, like the fact that Jason might be some kind of interdimensional being, or just that the color of his skin was something that didn't exist naturally in this world. Still, he wasn't entirely sure if he was joking or not. Those golds were locked onto him with all seriousness though, so Jason answered with as little sarcasm as he could muster.

Which is to say, it came out about as sarcastic as it possibly could.

"I'm a man. Can't you tell?" He drawled while gesturing at his torso with exaggerated slowness, as if to say 'see look, no boobs'.

What he expected was a scoff, a remark of 'not what I meant, moron' for his appalling glibness.

That's...not what he got.

Gladio paused in his walking, eyes dragging slowly down Jason's body with his hand thoughtfully fondling his chin. Jason froze like a deer in the headlights, hands still held to the sides in a vague gesture, as he almost physically felt the gaze slide sensually from his shoulders, down his chest and lower, causing a furious blush to explode across his cheeks. Once Gladiolus' rather invasive perusal of his person ended with intense consideration of his feet, his eyes flicked back up to Jason's with the most arrogant smirk the man had ever had the pleasure of seeing. "I think I got that." He flashed his canines before continuing on.

Jason's heart pounded in his chest with a mix of disbelief, adrenaline, and something else he'd much rather not think too hard on as he stood frozen to the spot. He finally dragged his gaze away from the retreating–sauntering, the arrogant bastard–man only to lock gazes with Ignis.

 _Did he just look at me like–Did I imagine–what the fuck!?_ His expression said, but there was only that faint, frustrating smirk on Ignis' face as he pushed up his glasses and continued forward, leaving a very confused man behind.

They were teasing him, they had to be. There was no way. Gladiolus did not just check him out. He was just checking to–see if Jason was an alien or something! With...a gaze so hot he could still feel it burning paths down his skin. Ahaha...ha. NOPE.

"ProMPTO?!" And it was to Gladio's uproarious laughter that Jason ran past him and Ignis to the one person in this insane, crazy dimension who made sense. Noctis' pissy attitude be damned.

"Ah!"

A startled shout full of fear and surprise broke through the drama like a splash of cold water, and suddenly Jason's run turned into a sprint, adrenaline washing his limbs with urgency. As Ignis and Gladiolus pounded close on his heels, he searched frantically for Prompto and Noctis who had been in sight until the three of them got distracted, but were now nowhere to be seen.

The sound of gunfire exploded into the canyon, bouncing off the walls only to echo deafeningly in Jason's ears. Jason flinched so hard in surprise that he nearly hit the ground, fear prickling his nerves with electricity. "Prompto!" he screamed, putting on another burst of speed.

And there, he could see him, stumbling back around the bend and taking cover, flinging his arm out to make shots of his own.

They reached the sharpshooter a few seconds later, crouching beside him. Prompto spared the three of them a wild glance before pinning his eyes back on the enemy and firing off shots rapidly.

"How many?", Ignis demanded, weapons already summoned and held at the ready at his sides. The cold man Jason first met was back, assessing the situation and preparing for battle. Jason would have appreciated that this intensity wasn't focused on him this time, but he was a little too busy fearing for his life.

"Twenty four, at least," Prompto replied, "Axemen, six snipers. Noct is taking out the ones on the walls. There's a mech!"

"I've got it," Gladio said, slipping from cover and sprinting into the fray. Jason gasped, stepping forward to watch as the man plowed through the MTs without a flinch. Jason only got a second to take in the hoard of enemies, a few flashes of blue in the sky and an impossibly large mech in the distance before a hand grabbed his shoulder and slammed him against the canyon wall.

Jason's back cracked against the stone forcefully, pain lancing up and down his spine sharply. He struggled to breathe, winded. Ignis got in his face, scowl intense as he leaned in close to scream over the din into Jason's ear. "Stay down and stay quiet!" He placed his palm against Jason's chest and the man arched with a gasp as liquid fire burned from Ignis' palm into his sternum to spread throughout his entire body. By the time the tingling had subsided and he was able to flutter open his eyes, Ignis was gone.

Chest heaving, Jason's hands scrabbled over his shirt in distress, not entirely sure what Ignis just did to him. A loud boom had him jumping back to attention though, crouching next to Prompto on shaking limbs.

"You alright, buddy?" The blonde crownsgaurd shouted over the chaos, eyes shooting over for the barest second to make sure Jason was okay.

"Y-yeah." Jason peered around him and took in the scene, breathless.

The canyon opened up into a wide field, surrounded by the sheer cliff and a man made wall a few miles in the distance. Old, decrepit walls that were once part of an interlocking web of buildings stood weathered and crumbling intermittently in the bowl. Two drop ships stood between them. A large group of soldiers advanced in their direction, fanning out to assess the threat and one mech stood behind them, just as Prompto had said.

The first thing that drew his eye was the flashes of blue streaking against the midday sky, almost blinding to look at even against the brightness of a the desert sun. It moved too quickly for him to really make out, flaring in between the flashes of bullets that unlike the weapons Jason was used to, left streaks of white as they zipped by. Every few seconds, Noctis would appear in mid air above an unsuspecting enemy, taking it out before it could even react in a flurry of furious blows before disappearing back into his slipstream beneath another volley of gunfire.

Ignis wasn't moving nearly as fast, but with his unpredictable movements, he made himself a difficult target. Blades glinting, he took down enemy after enemy with swift strikes, the bulk of the forces concentrating on him as he slipped between and cutting through them like they were mere saplings and he a gust of twisting, violent wind. They stood no chance against his ferocity.

If Ignis was the wind, then Gladiolus was a monsoon as he faced the mech alone. Blast after blast concussed the canyon as it shot missiles at the goliathan man who sidestepped them easily or blocked them with his massive blade. Every blast surrounded him with flame, but instead of consuming him, it writhed around him, deflected by some unseen force that protected his body from harm. Jason didn't know if it was magic or just his incredible abilities, but blasts that should have sent Gladio flying were weathered and shaken off without a care. He dashed in close between volleys, and when the mech stumbled to follow him, he swung his sword around and broke its leg with a deafening crack. It went down, and even from this distance, Jason could feel the vibrations in the ground. Gladio was on it in an instant, breaking through the glass face to get to the MT within.

It was incredible. They were incredible.

"Holy shit," Jason breathed. He had seen this before. Of course he had. But this wasn't a videogame anymore, and these men weren't some immortal renderings with set movesets and predictable patterns. And when he had seen them fight for the first time, he had been too freaked out to really appreciate what the hell was going on.

He was actually _here,_ witnessing something so incredibly impossible in his own world that humanity could only imagine it. _How?_ There had to be some kind of magic that lent strength to these men.

"Yeah," Prompto agreed reverently, as if he couldn't quite believe he was a part of such a group. "They're pretty amazing." And there was something self deprecating in that statement that had Jason's eyes snapping to his. But before he could mention anything, a bullet slammed into the canyon wall a mere few inches from Jason's stunned face. A sound came out of Jason that he didn't think ever had before, a kind of pained, animalistic cry of surprise before he found himself on the ground.

Prompto had shoved him down, stepping over him protectively. "Look out!" He fell to one knee. Hands moving in a blur, he'd ejected his clip and slammed in a new one faster than Jason could follow and pointed it above their heads. Six rounds slammed directly into the chest of an MT that had snuck up behind them on the canyon wall. Almost in slow motion, it slumped forward before tumbling off the ledge, falling to the ground with a crumpling thud.

Jason didn't move from his sprawl on the ground, too shocked to do much of anything as he stared at the body several yards away. Face pale as death, he looked between the bullet hole where his _head_ had been and the body, which was disintegrating in a acrid cloud of black smoke and red sparks.

"Look alive, buddy, we've got a second wave! They've surrounded Ignis!"

Jason physically jerked himself out of his frozen stupor, scrambling to his feet and peering around the bend. Sure enough, Ignis weaved in the center of a dozen more MTs, holding them back by a hair's breadth. There weren't any riflemen in these reinforcements, thank goodness, but Ignis wouldn't be able to hold them off for long. Noctis was dealing with reinforcements of his own up above and he could hear the concussions of more missile fire, Gladiolus clearly facing off against another mech behind some ruined buildings.

Prompto leapt from his guarded position and fired shot after shot, managing to take down two, but it wasn't fast enough, not nearly. Ignis started moving erratically, not enough room to do more than twist and dodge, and it was interfering with Prompto's aim, the blonde unable to fire without the possibility of shooting his friend.

"Oh jeez, oh jeez! Iggy!" Prompto burst forward, driving himself into the fray to get to Ignis.

For a split second, Jason panicked. What was he going to do!? Impulsively, he almost reached for his abilities, either to summon something to fight with or to fall to his knees and stop time, but he stopped himself at the last second with an explosive curse. He couldn't. He'd promised.

FuckfuckfuckFUCK! Prompto was getting further by the second, and he no longer had time to hesitate. He jumped into a sprint in grim determination, hot on Prompto's heals. Guess he'd just have to do this the old fashioned way.

Their charge did not go unnoticed. Several of the axemen turned in their direction, first with that peculiar jerk of their heads, red eyes glowing eerily, and then the rest of their bodies following along like grotesque marionettes. When five of them decided to run at them instead of face Ignis, Jason almost shit his pants.

No. He could do this. He had already done it with Cor. And this time. He clenched his gloved hands, feeling the press of steel against his forearms. This time he was prepared.

Prompto dropped in speed, scrabbling back to keep his distance, and Jason burst past him, completely ignoring his startled shout.

The first enemy was in front of him and Jason didn't hesitate. He leapt to the side, spinning around it and slammed his heeled boot into the back of its legs, sending it sprawling. He didn't have time to finish it, though, as a second swung its axe in a wide arch, nearly splitting him in half. Jason jerked back his hips before forcing his momentum forward, body checking the MT hard enough that it stumbled back into another. Jason reared back and punched it as hard as he could, a harsh uppercut into its chin. Then something unexpected happened. Jason's arm shimmered right before contact, and instead of stunning the enemy like it would have had it been a normal hit, its neck _snapped._

Wire and black, oozing blood burst from its neck, the flesh and machinery stretching grotesquely, and Jason nearly heaved as some of it splashed against his face, eyes impossibly wide. The creature fell back in a heap, scattering the two other MTs that stood behind it.

The shaken man was surprised, shocked, _disgusted_ _._ But he was in the middle of battle, and he would regret his distraction.

"Jase, look out!"

Jason heard it more than felt it as something slammed into his back violently. Time seemed to slow as the crackle of bone and battering of flesh echoed loudly in his ears, accompanied by the terrible sensation of too much blood rushing to his head all at once. His ears popped, his neck locked up and his teeth clenched so hard he felt his jaw crack. But Jason didn't even stumble, adrenaline too high in his system to let him hold it back for even a second.

With a desperation that Jason had never experienced before, his eyes hazed over in a morbid shade of red, casting his enemies in the white hot blaze of fury. With a roar he spun with the momentum of the hit, barely looking as he threw his leg to shatter the skull of the MT behind him. And shatter it did. With the same shimmer of power as before, his foot slammed against the helmet which broke apart like delicate crystal hitting the hard ground, only with less beautiful sparkle and more daemon brains. This time Jason couldn't hold back the heave, though it might have had more to do with his damaged back than disgust.

Something shifted inside of him, and he went down with a surprised wheeze. He flinched badly as the remaining two MT's came at him at once. But suddenly Prompto was there. He leapt in front of Jason, one MT going down with a loud bang, then two, both collapsing into noxious heaps of cloying smoke.

And then it was over. Piercing silence settled over the battlefield like a particularly heavy blanket, leaving only the sound of Jason's pounding heart. Jason stared forward in his slumped position, eyes unseeing. Sweat trickled down his brow in constant rivlets of moisture, muscles shivering in exertion, or perhaps shock. All he could register was the memory of the MT coming apart like so much dried, crumbling clay beneath his limbs, and he could feel its blood burning against his skin like a weak acid.

A muffled sound broke through his consciousness, and then a jarring shake. Jason blinked once, then rapidly, bringing the world back into focus. Worried blue eyes finally registered as his awareness returned, and he found Prompto practically in his face, holding onto his shoulders tightly.

"–on, are you okay? Can you hear me? Jase!"

It was only as dizziness overtook him that he realized he'd stopped breathing. With a heave, he inhaled, only to have it punched out of him in a harsh wheeze, ribs grinding against each other in protest at the same time as a shattering agony flared up his back and side. His face contorted. Something was wrong.

Prompto's eyes widened a fraction, but before he could say anything stomping boots and a harsh snarl cut him off.

"What the hell was that?" Noctis shouted, coming to an abrupt halt, his face flushed with exertion and dark eyes sparking with anger. Jason had a moment to wonder how his stupid hair style could have possibly stayed in–how much gel did this guy use?–before he realized the prince was still shouting at him, pink lips pulled into an ugly grimace. "–could have gotten Prompto and Ignis killed trying to save your pathetic ass! What were you–"

"Ignis," Jason cut him off, looking around slowly. That's right. That's why they charged in the first place. Was he alright? Where– And then he saw him. Ignis stood amongst a pile of empty armor, the bodies long having faded to nothing, casually wiping his blade with a handkerchief he got from who knows where. He looked disheveled, but no worse for wear. Gladio was walking towards them, unharmed as well. Jason slumped in relief, only to grimace as sharp spikes of pain nearly made him double over. It was increasing incrementally as his adrenaline faded, and he knew it would only be a matter of time before he became insensate with it. He managed a weak smile at Ignis, whose eyes narrowed in concern as Noctis' rant only got louder.

"Don't interrupt me! You better listen–!"

"No, _you_ listen, fuckboi," Jason grunted, anger overriding his pain temporarily. "They're alive aren't they? Leave off!" He was fed up. He tries to hang back, Noctis glares at him. He tries to get along, Noctis yells at him. He tries to save his friends, he gets the third degree! What was it going to take for Noctis to stop treating him like his very _existence_ was a personal affront?!

" _What_ did you just call me? You–" Noctis grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked. Hard.

Color exploded in Jason's vision in blinding splashes as his body convulsed in a silent scream. His muscles seized as his bones cracked against each other, and suddenly it was impossible to breathe. He didn't know what happened next–muffled shouting, frantic hands, curses–all he could comprehend was his body ripping at the seams in crushing waves that blackened his vision and stole his breath in a raging inferno.

It seemed to drag on for eternity, almost to the point where Jason thought he would pass out–again–when cool hands guided him forward, the icy magic of a healing potion flowing through his veins and burning against his wounds. He trembled and breathed harshly against the damp fabric against his forehead, hands coming up instinctively to grab at it. "That's it." Ignis' voice came to him soothingly. "Deep breaths. The potion has healed the fractures, but your ribs are dislocated. Breathe deeply, come on now."

He tried. Hands clutching harshly onto the fabric of Ignis' shirt, he inhaled. Black spots danced in his eyes, but Ignis' constant stream of instructions– "two seconds, come on, just two seconds, then you can let it out."–kept him aware. So he tried again. And again.

As he struggled, Ignis' hand trailed down Jason's side to rest on his knee. "Jason, listen to me. This is going to hurt, but I want you to breathe in as deeply as you can for me. Can you do that?"

Jason nodded weakly and Ignis _squeezed._ Jason's whole body tensed harshly as he inhaled in surprise at the sudden flash of pain, and his ribs jerked back into place with an inaudible crack. Air, _blessed_ air, flooded the trembling man's lungs and he cried out with it and slumped forward. A soothing hand ran up and down his back with the tingle of healing magic, easing his pain away completely until there was nothing left but exhaustion and haunting echoes of injury.

Eventually, Jason pulled back, shuddering. Ignis' hands hovered for a moment, as if to make sure that Jason wouldn't collapse again. When he stayed steady, Ignis scooted back.

"Thank you," Jason said vehemently, looking up into hazel eyes gratefully. His brow furrowed, though, at the displeased frown on Ignis' face.

"You are a fool," the bespectacled man said. "I told you to remain quiet and hidden."

Jason flushed. "Yeah, but–"

"Do you realize that the only reason you are _alive_ is because I put a shielding spell on you? You got hit in the back with an axe. You would have been cut in half!"

And then all the blood drained right back out of his face. "Oh," he said faintly.

"That being said," Ignis continued, and Jason winced, but his tone settled into something less stern. "I appreciate what you tried to do." Hazel eyes softened and a faint smile graced thin lips, faint amusement apparent. "I believe that is the second time you've tried to come to my rescue."

A slow smile pulled at Jason. "Excuse me? I _did_ rescue you. Twice!"

He scoffs. "I would have been fine. Now, up you get. We still have a long way to go."

Before Jason could point out that he'd brought Ignis back from the DEAD the first time, thank you very much, they were interrupted by angry shouting. They exchanged glances before jogging to catch up to the others, Jason shaking out his limbs harshly to rid himself of the lingering echoes of pain.

They found them against the canyon wall outside of a cave. Jason recognized it as the one that held one of the tombs they were after. Prompto and Noctis stood practically chest to chest, glaring at each other. Gladio stood back a bit, frowning deeply but not interfering in their spat.

"What is up with you lately?!" Prompto shouted, gesturing widely. Cheeks flushed with anger and face pinched in incensed confusion, he walked in a quick, agitated circle before pointedly glaring at the equally furious raven. "You're acting like–like–"

"Like WHAT? Go on, say it! I know what you all think of me!"

"Like a SPOILED PRINCE!"

Jason and Ignis stopped a few yards away just in time to see the expression that crossed over Noctis' face; anger, stubbornness, and more than a little hurt. And then his eyes were on Jason, the rest washing away into outright _loathing_ before flicking back. He seemed to inflate, eyes wild and anger making him irrational. "Well what the _fuck_ do you know?! You're just a fucking commoner whose parents didn't even want you, you didn't lose anything in Insomnia's fall! Why don't you just go hang out with your new fucking _friend_ and leave me the fuck alo–"

Noctis' head jerked sharply to the side, the rest of his body stumbling with the force of the punch Prompto just violently introduced to his face. Noctis caught himself and looked up, shocked, lip bleeding sluggishly down his chin.

"Stop it," Prompto whispered, tears spilling over his cheeks and body trembling visibly. "Just s-stop it."

Noctis paled, eyes widening as he realized what he'd said. "Prom–" But Prompto turned away, clutching his bruised fist against his chest. "Prom, I–"

"Noctis," Ignis said sharply. Noctis jerked as if he'd been punched again, taking in all of their grim faces. Then he settled on Jason's, expression blackening so deeply that Jason was compelled to take a step back.

"Tch!" Noctis spun on his heel, stalking towards the cavern with his shoulders nearly pulled up to his ears, every movement jerking with tension. He stepped inside, shadow engulfing him and steps echoing harshly against the stone.

Gladiolus let out an explosive breath, running his hand down his face tiredly.

"Well. That was. Something." He turned to Prompto. "You alright, Prom?" he asked softly.

Prompto let out a choked laugh, lips trembling in a vague facsimile of a smile. "Yeah. I-I'm okay. But…" He stared after Noctis, biting his lip.

Jason didn't know what to do or what to say. He could only stare numbly after the retreating figure. Well. That answered that question. Noctis _hated_ him. He hated the thought of Jason being here and talking to his friends so much that he would...do _this._ Jason wasn't arrogant enough to think that it was entirely about himself, of course not, not with all that had happened. But. That look… He locked his eyes onto the ground and didn't look up, jaw clenching hard.

Ignis sighed. "Come on, we should go make sure he doesn't get himself injured."

"U-um, guys?" Prompto said, brow furrowing and eyes narrowing through his tears. "What's that flashing?" But before they could even spy what the blonde had seen, his eyes had widened and he sprang forward into a dead run. "NOCTIS!"

"Prompto?!"

"What the hell?"

"Wait!"

But it was too late. Shadow swallowed Prompto's thin frame seconds before a large blast shook the canyon and sent dust flying into the air. Blinded by debris and shock, Jason, Gladio and Ignis only had time to stumble away before the entrance to the cave collapsed in a violent wave of solid sandstone.

–

 **AN:**

 **;3**

 **Next Chapter: Noctis and Prompto go on alone. Prompto will get to the bottom of his friend's harsh words and anger if it's the last thing he does. Tooth rotting fluff ensues.**


	16. Jealousy

Hack 16

Prompto's relationship with Noctis was a tenuous thing. At least, he always felt that way.

Not in the sense that they weren't easy friends, or that they flaked on each other or betrayed each other, or any such thing that normal relationships would consider tenuous. No, their personalities fit and clicked together like the perfectly formed pieces of a puzzle. They found the same things amusing, the same things sad, they cared for each other equally and always found enjoyment in the other's presence. Noctis was like a prong that filled a gaping hole in Prompto's life, filled in the edges of himself and made him whole, took his partial image and helped to bring him into the completed work of art.

Prompto wasn't the most poetic of dudes, but if he was going to swing with this weird puzzle analogy, then he was an edge piece, flat on the side, always chosen first to make the frame for the other, more important pieces and then forgotten immediately for the intriguing center. The image painted on him was only the blurred edges of the photo, the empty space of color that even if he wasn't there, wouldn't ruin the picture. A means to an end.

If he was the edge piece, then Noctis was the focal point, pronged on all sides without which the entire artwork would fall apart. He was the Prince of Lucius, the one man in all of the world most important to their lives, the one man destined to be their protector, leader, King.

For some inexplicable, unlikely reason, Noctis chose to connect with him. This meaningless piece without a fleck of distinction, a nobody with blurred edges that couldn't hope to complement Noctis' kaleidoscope in his wildest dreams. And in doing so, connected him to others of equal splendor that further filled Prompto's life with meaning, until he almost didn't feel so empty anymore.

He liked to think that he brought some form of completion to Noctis' life as well, to all of their lives when he made them smile. When he made them forget about the pressures of their lives for just a little while, the only way he knew how to be of any use. But there was always that sinking feeling in his gut that it wasn't the case. Because, well...he was nothing. Noctis could go on without him. Easily. They all could.

Sometimes, when he was reminded of the truth–whether by words or unwanted memories, the cold looks of those above his station in the halls of the Citadel or those dark moments when he found himself alone in an empty house that had never really been home–he felt like it was all a sham.

None of them sought a connection with him, not really. Prompto basically pushed himself into their fold. He knew at a young age that he was worthless, unattractive, unwanted. Probably would have gone his whole life in obscurity, just that ungainly kid in the background growing into an unassuming man with no prospects or ambitions, no connections to anyone or thing outside of his viewfinder. Forgotten even by Cor, just a charity case, his good deed of the year.

Invisible.

Until he met Noctis for the first time.

It was just a passing, fleeting thing. One that affected the raven prince not in the slightest, but change Prompto's life irrevocably.

He wanted to be his friend. He wanted to make that cold, distant stare light up, wanted to make him smile. But he couldn't. Not as he was.

If it hadn't been for an injured puppy and the sylleblossom scented folds of a beautifully crafted letter, he never would have even looked Noctis in the eye. And it's funny to him now, as an adult, how Lady Lunafreya probably didn't even mean anything by it, probably didn't even remember her baseless assumption that changed his life forever.

So, with the courage afforded to him by another, he waited and watched, changed himself to fit the mold and pushed himself into place, a facade of one with worth.

It worked. He became Noctis' friend, gained the chance to make him smile over and over again, gained connections to Ignis and Gladio through him, bringing himself into the fold of the most extraordinary friendships way beyond what a man like him could ever hope to expect.

And in those friendships he experienced love for the first time. Not just in the romantic sense, though it had certainly developed into that as he got older. How could it not when, when Noctis turned his eyes on him, he felt like the single most important person in the entire world? How could it not when the people he spent all his waking moments with haunted his sleeping ones as well, in ways that made his ears turn red when he inevitably saw them the next day? But more than that. For the first time in his life, his phone–a crappy, outdated thing he had barely considered worth the cost–suddenly lit up with texts asking after his health, did he want to hang out, did he see this funny post, and hey man, I just wanted to chat, you busy? That when he didn't reply it was _noticed,_ he was _missed,_ something that had never happened before.

And just to put into perspective how truly amazing that in itself was, he once went an entire month without leaving his house. No one noticed. His parents never came home. His school never called, wondering where he was. And when he returned, it was like he never left, the rest of the people in the world going about their lives as if he never existed in the first place.

So this. This was something special. _He_ was something special.

Noctis wasn't just Prompto's best friend. He was the center of his entire world, the sun of his solar system, the singular most important piece of his puzzle. Even as Prompto easily expanded his love to encompass others, acknowledged that there were others in his life that brought him fulfillment and joy, Noctis would always be the first.

To be reminded that he was indeed worthless by his best friend's own admission. It was like a slap of reality to the face, because no matter how he tried to hide how he truly was, that bitter, unhappy kid on the inside hissing insults and hard truths in the dark recesses of his mind haunted him always. For some silly reason Prompto had never expected to hear the words from Noctis, which only made it all the more painful when the inevitable finally happened.

He should have known that no matter how he forced himself to change, no matter how he forced himself to be more than he was he would never be worthy of Noctis' love. Or anyone's.

But that would never stop Prompto from going after his prince when he saw those flashing lights, didn't lessen the panic he felt at the thought that Noctis was in danger, didn't even allow for hesitation as he threw himself into the maelstrom to protect his dearest friend.

Because even if Prompto was worthless to Noctis, he would always love him.

-o0o-

It was dark. And quiet.

Only the sound of Prompto's labored breathing could be heard over the shifting of dust, the scattering of pebbles as it cleared from the air.

Heart pounding painfully hard in a tumultuous rush, it was some time before Prompto could separate his terrified mind from the stinging adrenaline in his blood and the primal instincts that had him curled in on himself like a wounded animal. His arms clenched around his head so tightly that they ached, the rest of him a trembling mess. But it was the lack of air that forced him to uncurl from himself, coughing harshly and expelling debris and dust from his abraded throat.

It was only after several moments of this, when he registered that he was indeed alive beyond reasonable doubt–everything wouldn't _ache_ so much if he were dead–that he began to understand what happened.

"Oh geez, oh geez," he wheezed, hands groping blindly in the dark and reaching nothing but empty air. He scrambled to his knees on shaking limbs, groaning loudly as he shifted rocks and rubble from his person and his scrapes and bruises made themselves known. It was only after several seconds of frantic fumbling that he managed to turn on his penlight, illuminating the chamber he found himself in. "Noc–" he coughed violently before trying again. "N-Noctis! Noct!"

No answer.

 _Oh please don't be dead, don't be dead, don't be–_

He scanned the small alcove, not able to see all that much on account of the dust in the air, but visibility was good enough to just make out a pile of disheveled sacks and a rusted metal door encased in solid rock. Prompto's eyes flickered nervously to the ceiling as the rock above him shifted, but it looked solid enough. He really didn't want to stake his life on it though. A cursory glance from where he came determined that he would not be going back that way, that was for certain. Jagged edges of rock and rubble blocked the entrance mere inches from where he had thrown himself through, and it was only by some miracle that the blonde had only bruises to show for it. A few more inches to the left and...he shuddered, clutching his arms in close. He hoped the others were alright, but right now he could only spare them a passing thought because Noctis wasn't answering his call.

"Noct!" His raspy voice echoed back to him emptily, too loud in the darkness and still unanswered as the seconds ticked agonizingly by, and Prompto's stomach sank with dread. No. This was no time to panic. With unsteady hands, he lifted himself from the floor, swaying dangerously before catching his balance and stumbling forward. Noctis had been at least a minute ahead of him, and it looked like the tunnels beyond were still intact. He couldn't have been in the entrance when it collapsed.

It was just when he was about to try to call out again that movement caught his ear. He froze, shifting his weight imperceptibly from foot to foot. It could have been Noctis, sure, but something in the tingling of his hands had him pause. There was a reason no one dared enter the darkest places of the world without protection, the places no sunlight could reach to repel the daemons. And with all the violence recently, Prompto felt wary of everything.

But it was with a blustering sigh of relief that Prompto saw Noctis stumble from the dark tunnel beyond the door, squinting into the glow of Prompto's flashlight owlishly.

"Prom?" He slurred, and Prompto didn't think, just threw himself at his prince–alive, his best friend was alive–and slung his arms around his shoulders, burying his face into Noctis' neck. "Ugh," Noctis grunted, but his arms surrounded the blonde easily enough. Prompto's shoulders shook as he just breathed in Noctis' familiar scent–that spice of the obnoxious cologne he favored so much, the dust and sweat that coated his body, that electric spark of magic that permeated him always, just _Noctis_ –happy beyond belief that he was safe, warm, _alive._

The hands that encircled his back, though familiar, felt unsure, weak, and Prompto pulled back, happiness sliding from his face instantly. He was alarmed to see a steady stream of blood obscuring one of Noctis' eyes, the other blurred and unfocused, the smokey blue engulfed in the black of his pupil though the bright light should have had it shrunk into a pinprick.

"Prom," Noct rasped, "I–" But whatever he was going to say was interrupted by a loud crack from above. Prompto jumped badly, looking up in horror before grabbing Noctis by his shoulders and shoving him hard.

Noctis flew back through the door with a startled shout, the blonde throwing himself after him just as the remainder of the ceiling in the entrance came down in a deafening din of cracking stone and squealing steel, the only thing saving the two from being crushed the frame of the doorway. Prompto didn't stop, grabbing Noctis by the arm and sprinting into the darkness, dragging the punch drunk prince along behind him. The collapse only lasted a few seconds, and thankfully was contained to only that chamber. By the time it settled, Prompto and Noctis were down the tunnels a good ways.

It was only when Noctis tripped badly with a weak groan that Prompto finally allowed himself to stop his mad dash, pulling Noctis against himself and lowering him to the ground.

"Okay, buddy, you're gunna be alright," Prompto gasped, shaking hands smoothing Noctis' hair back from his face to inspect the damage while also trying to keep an eye on their surroundings. That was a little hard to do though, when his pinlight could only illuminate the area in front of him and effectively blinded him from the rest of the tunnel. He tried to turn on Noctis' as well, but it wasn't responding to his touch. With an internal curse, he decided it would just have to do for now.

Prompto was no Iggy, but he had gone through the basic first aid course, albeit with much moaning and complaining. Mostly because Noctis was right there with him and both had rather been doing anything else at the time than listen to a boring lecture, especially after they just graduated high school. But now he was fervently grateful that Ignis had insisted, because he might not have known what to do otherwise.

Healing potions could only do so much. They could mend bones, flesh and organs alike, but they could not replace limbs or remove shrapnel from the body. Head wounds were an especially tricky business, because if a piece of bone or rock got lodged within the brain it would get trapped beneath the healed skull and cause irreparable damage. Ignis' voice came back to him, calming in the face of his panic, and he followed the steps the man had tried to impress upon him all those months ago. As steady as he could manage, he pushed his fingers into the prince's gritty hair, following the trail of slick blood to prod at the wound gently.

Noctis hissed, clutching at Prompto's arm weakly, but the blonde would not be deterred. "Sorry, sorry! I gotta do this, buddy, you'll feel better in a sec, I-I promise!"

Noctis looked up at him through the blood and the pain in his narrowed eyes, face pale as death against the red and Prompto's heart clenched uncomfortably tight. He hated seeing him like this, hated it. A small red wound against the prince's lip, a dried line of blood running down his chin and neck, burned him with guilt but he brushed it off and tore his eyes away, finishing his inspection of the wound until he was absolutely sure that his skull was intact and nothing would impede the healing. With a shuddering breath, he summoned one of their dwindling stock of potions and pressed it against his prince's chest, shattering it.

Noctis tensed with a moan beneath Prompto's fingers as the magic did its work, his breath easing out in relaxation a second later. Before the blonde's relieved eyes, Noctis' skin became unblemished once more, color flushing his cheeks until he looked like a living being again.

Prompto could have cried when those blues squinted open, blinking rapidly and clear once more.

"Prompto?" Noctis sat up, looking around himself with confusion and wiping the congealing blood from his face. "What happened?" His eyes locked onto the blonde and sharpened. "Are you alright? Where are the others?"

Prompto shook himself, forcing himself to refocus and not throw himself on Noctis again. "I'm okay, I think?" He didn't sound so sure, even to himself, as he kind of felt numb for the most part. Noctis' brows furrowed in concern, but Prompto didn't give him the time to comment, stuttering loudly, "The cave exploded, dude! You walked in, then there was this flashing light and then bam! I thought–I thought–" He couldn't finish, breath quickening and sending him into another coughing fit. Noctis was at his side in an instant, warm hand running up and down his back soothingly until he could breathe again. It was a familiar thing, a comforting gesture Noctis did for him often when he got himself worked up. Prompto let himself take comfort in it now, despite the fact that his relief at seeing Noctis alive was disappearing swiftly, emotions dropping back into the dark pit they had been in before the explosion. He pursed his lips, hating himself for leaning into the touch, not sure he was even allowed this anymore but needing it like the air that he was struggling to breathe.

"Okay." Noctis said, looking around. "Okay. What about the exit?" Prompto shook his head and the raven cursed. "Okay. Gladio and Ignis should be able to get to us eventually. In the meantime, we should look for another way out. Can you stand?"

Prompto nodded dully, pushing himself back to his feet. He hissed as his entire body tensed and released in rapid succession, wounds protesting movement. But he forced himself through it. Now was not the time to be complaining about a few aches.

His discomfort did not go unnoticed though, and Noctis paused in his attempt to get his penlight working. He frowned. "You're hurt. Here."

Noctis summoned a familiar bottle in a bright flash of light, it's sparkle flashing against his now thankfully clear gaze. Prompto made to take it, smiling gratefully out of habit, but paused. The smile fell slowly from his face, memories of the moments before the explosion–of Noctis' face and voice, oh gods it was filled with such _hatred_ and _hurt_ –coming back to him full force, and aching knot tying up his stomach painfully.

Noctis' true feelings.

 _Worthless. Unwanted._

His hand dropped, and Noctis frowned in confusion. But Prompto couldn't see him anymore, eyes sliding to the floor. How? How could he have been so blind? He had thought they were best friends, but...maybe that wasn't the case? So what, he was just an amusement to Noctis? A way to pass the time, maybe? After all, what would the Prince of Lucius want with a _worthless commoner?_

A miasma of anger and hurt swirled within him until it felt like his chest was on fire. He pulled his hand back to clutch at his burning heart instead, refusing to look Noctis in the eye and wishing he could hold back his dumb, traitorous tears.

He didn't _want_ to show weakness. It would only prove Noctis right. So he wouldn't.

Prompto shook his head, forcing his lips to pull up in a sad imitation of his usual cheer, though he didn't know if he actually succeeded. Kind of felt like his cheeks were made of lead. "No, dude, I'm fine. Just a few bumps. Besides, we only have a couple left, and you need them more than I do." After all, his health was hardly important.

Noctis' eyes darkened, and he opened his mouth to say something but Prompto didn't want to hear it. He spun on his heel and looked around. "We should get moving," he said, and winced as his voice sounded more flat than he intended. But he didn't want to hear more about what a failure he was. Not from Noctis. Not him.

He began walking down the tunnel quickly, ignoring the sound of protest behind him. "Prompto, wait! You're limping, you can't just–"

But Prompto wasn't listening. He looked around nervously as he walked, fear trickling through him in waves beyond his tangled feelings. He really did hate dark places, and every shift of rock and drip of water had his nerves frayed. He wasn't going to show weakness now though. He had to get his prince to safety and the last thing he wanted to do was further prove his worthlessness by failing at his job. So he ignored his fear. He ignored his injuries. There were more important things.

It seemed like Noctis would not be deterred, however, because the next second he was spun around by a rough hand. He looked up at Noctis, face devoid as he could make it, and whatever Noctis might have been about to say seemed caught in his throat. Noctis snatched his hand back as if burned, taking a step back.

"Prom, I...I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. Please, just take the potion. It's dangerous down here…"

Prompto watched his lips move, heard the words on some level, but they couldn't quite reach past the poisonous cloud roiling in his chest. "It's okay, your Highness, you should save the potions for yourself." he said, and barely registered the flinch Noctis gave at his title, something Prompto had _never_ used with him before. "What you said was true. I'm just a commoner. I didn't lose anything in Insonmia's fall." It wasn't like he could really understand Noctis' pain, after all. Because everything he cared for had been with him, was right here, and on the other side of that impenetrable wall. Noctis paled, but Prompto continued on, voice flat. "Come on, I see some light bulbs on the walls. Maybe we can find the switch."

He began to follow the black cord on the ground, mission forefront in his mind. Had to get out. Had to get Noctis to safety. Then...well, then he would figure out what to do with himself afterwards, he guessed. He would stay out of Noctis' way, if that's what he wanted.

"Prompto, wait," this time Noctis ran around him, stopping him in his tracks. Prompto stared at him impassively, impatient to get going and just wanting to be out of here so this awful numbness could just go away. But Noctis would not be denied, so he steeled himself to let the prince say his piece, no matter how much it hurt to hear. "Just take the damn potion! We could be attacked at any moment and you're in no condition to fight!"

"Is that an order, my Prince?" Prompto intoned coldly.

"What?" Noctis whispered, stricken. "No. No, of course not."

"Then I don't need it. I'll be able to protect you as I am." Prompto shouldered past Noctis once more. He didn't see the way Noctis' face crumpled, the dismay he wore morphing into something far uglier, angier, too intent on getting away and shutting himself down before he could be hurt any further. If he had, he might not have been so surprised about what Noctis said next.

"You won't take it because you think that black haired _bastard_ needs it more, is that it?"

The venom in his tone, and the seeming randomness of that statement had Prompto pause, lips pinching in confusion. "What? What does Jase have to do with anything?"

"Jase?" Noctis hissed, stepping forward aggressively. " _Jase?_ What, so now you're on nickname basis with the guy?"

"What is your problem!?" Prompto shouted, at the end of his rope and hopelessly confused. "Jason hasn't done _anything_ to you, has actually helped you, like, three times and you've done nothing but dog on him this whole time!"

"He's a thieving, lying, _traitor!"_

"What the fuck! No, he's not!" Prompto threw his hands in the air. "He didn't have anything to do with what happened in Insomnia, yet you keep blaming him for it! And yeah, he made a couple mistakes, but he's doing his best to make up for it!"

"Oh," Noctis scoffed, "Of course, my mistake. Jason's just so perfect and fucking selfless, he can do no wrong in Prompto's eyes! Even Gladio and Ignis can't find any fault!"

Prompto just stared, completely bewildered. What was even going _on?_ Noctis looked beside himself, breaths short and scowl fierce, and Prompto for the life of him couldn't figure out where this animosity even came from. It was the worst Prince Tantrum he'd ever witnessed from the usually quiet man in the years that he'd known him, and he thought he'd seen the worst when Regis betrothed him to Luna. That didn't hold a candle to this though. Sure, Noctis had been behaving oddly for a while now, and it wasn't exactly hard to see why. He'd been through a lot the past few days. Prompto got it. But why did he seem to hate Jason so much? The guy hadn't even done anything, at least not on purpose. Was Noctis just using him as a scapegoat for everything bad happening in his life right now?

But it seemed like there was something more to this, something obvious that Prompto just wasn't getting, something that got Noctis lashing out at not just Jason, but Ignis, Prompto and Gladio as well. Noctis was talking again, but Prompto paid him no mind, cutting him off sharply.

"Noct. What's really bothering you?"

Noctis' eyes opened wide, a little wild as he laughed sarcastically. "What's bothering me? _What's bothering me?_ I don't know Prompto, maybe it's the fact that my dad is dead. Maybe it's the fact that I lost my entire country overnight and the one person who could have told me about it didn't say a damn word–"

"You sound like a broken record!" Prompto exclaimed. "I get it! All that stuff sucks, but that's not what this is about and you know it! So just man up and _tell me–"_

 _"I don't want to lose you!"_

Noctis' shout echoed against the tunnels, excruciatingly loud in the sudden silence. Prompto gaped in shock at the panting prince, Noctis clearly overwhelmed with emotions, hands fisted at his sides and shoulders tense around his heaving chest. To his surprise, Noctis' eyes welled up with tears before the prince forcibly shook them off, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I don't want to lose you," he whispered again, voice trembling. "You, Gladiolus and Ignis are all I have left, and I can't stand the thought that some stranger could come along and take you guys from me."

"Noct…"

Noctis shook his head, eyes shimmering earnestly. "I didn't mean what I said, Prompto, you have to believe me. You're not worthless. If you hadn't talked to me that day in high school, I honestly can't say I would even be the same person, if I would even be–tch! You are the only one who saw me for me, the only one who wanted to be my friend not because I'm a _prince,_ _"_ he spat the word with disdain, "but because...because…"

"Because I just liked you," Prompto finished for him. Prompto couldn't move, couldn't think, heart skipping in his chest, the tension from before unwinding to tie itself into a whole new tangle of emotions. He had no idea Noctis felt this way, couldn't reconcile it with what he thought he knew to be true. A small smile tugged at his cheek, disbelief coloring his expression. Maybe. Maybe all this time, he'd been wrong. Maybe he was more loved than he thought. "Noct. Buddy. You're my best friend. I'm not going anywhere."

"You _like_ him." He dropped his hand, looking at Prompto accusingly through his lashes.

Prompto shook his head, feeling a little whiplashed. This again? "So what? I have crushes on a lot of people. Like Gladio. And Ignis!" Like you, he thought, but didn't dare say it aloud. "You've never had a problem with it before."

"That's different!"

"Wha– _how_ is that different?"

"Because I also–" Noctis cut himself off by biting his lip harshly, and Prompto's jaw dropped. No way. "Because...Look, it just is okay!"

Prompto was reeling. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just to test out a little theory that was running through the back of his mind, he tried asking something he never thought of before. "Soooo, Noct. What if I told you I liked Cindy?" Noctis grimaced tellingly, and Prompto's heart did a little happy dance in his throat. "Um. Okay. Cor?" At this, his expression seemed to shift between disgust and petulance, and Prompto bit back a laugh, clearing his throat once. Okay, okay, one more. "Lady Lunafreya."

"What!?" Noctis exclaimed. "You haven't even met her!" And that thunderous expression was definitely interesting considering Noctis was the one actually engaged to marry her.

He was jealous. _Noctis_ was _jealous_. And not of Prompto, which would be ridiculous in itself, but everyone he liked. Well, except for Gladio and Ignis apparently, but he would have to think about that another time. Extensively. There was one more very, very important question to ask, though, one that Prompto was both terrified to voice and rather thought he knew the answer to. He tilted his head to the side coyly, smirk playing at the edges of his lips, and took a cautious step forward. Noctis seemed to sense his shift in mood, because suddenly he was fidgeting uncomfortably, expression sinking into that of one who realized he'd played his hand too early and was sure he would lose it all.

Prompto watched as he tried to pull himself together, tried to bring up the mask of indifference he liked to hide himself behind so often, but it was useless. Prompto was one of the people who knew him best, and it had been years since he'd been able to fool him with the aloof act. Especially when a heated flush started creeping up his neck and cheekbones, not able to be shielded even by his ridiculous emo hair. It was kind of adorable, and that was far from the first time Prompto had thought that.

"Noctis." Noctis shoved his hands into the pockets of his fatigues, looking sharply away.

"What," he mumbled defensively, voice cracking ever so slightly and refusing to look Prompto in the face.

"What if I were to tell you," Prompto sidled a little farther forward, trying to catch the prince's eye, but to no avail. Well. If he couldn't do it with his eyes, he would get his attention another way. "Thaaaat I like you?"

That did it. Noctis' head jerked up in shock, blue eyes widening and lips parting in a quiet gasp. A millisecond later, he seemed to realize just how close Prompto was standing to him. He jumped, and Prompto cheered internally. But it was Noctis' pupils dilating tellingly, blue being eaten up by a hungry black, that had Prompto catching his breath, inhaling sharply in surprise and glee.

Prompto's heart pounded loudly in his ears, adrenaline making him dizzy. If he hadn't been sure before, he definitely was now. This was unbelievable. Noctis. Liked him. Noctis liked him. How long had this been the case? How long had they both felt this way and never done anything about it? Why in the hell didn't he say anything? It wasn't like Prompto had been keeping his crush a secret!

Or. Um. Clearly Noctis didn't know about or this wouldn't be happening. He guessed they'd both been blind.

It's not like they could have done anything about it even if they had confessed to each other, he supposed. With Noctis' station, or more recently, his _engagement_ , it had always seemed like some impossible dream. And to be fair, all of Prompto's crushes felt like an impossible dream–some more meaningful than others to be sure, but still impossible–but Noctis moreso. The most-so. Mostest? Whatever. What was even normal anymore, anyways? With all the craziness that was happening, he figured all bets were off at this point.

More importantly, Prompto was standing very, very close to the object of his desire, close enough to feel the body heat radiating from his skin, to see the perspiration on his brow and the heat and uncertainty in his eyes. Prompto licked his lips, practically tasting the charged air, and Noctis' now black gaze locked onto the movement with a startling hunger that took Prompto's breath away.

Prompto's lips curled upwards as Noctis seemed to unconsciously move in closer, eyes locked on his mouth. Oh, he could let this happen. He would even enjoy it. Tremendously.

And he would. Eventually. But right now…

"Apology accepted!" he crowed, exuberance and cheer back in his voice, right where it belonged. He flicked Noctis in the forehead, startling the prince out of his daze so badly his expression froze in shock for several seconds, lips parted and head still tilted slightly in ruined anticipation as Prompto took a step back and laughed uproariously at the silly image it made.

"What the–Prom!" Noctis' face scrunched up in consternation, but he couldn't help the grin that spread through him like wildfire at the happiness on Prompto's face. "Get back here!"

"Nu-uh! You've been a jerk!" Prompto danced out of his prince's reach– _his_ prince, Oh-em-gee, could Noctis really be _his?_ –and shook his finger teasingly. "I'm not the only one you've got to apologize to!"

Noctis lunged forward, but Prompto would not be swayed, the raven giving chase until they were both out of breath and giggling–in the manliest of ways of course.

"Okay! Fine! I'll tell Iggy and Gladio I'm sorry!" Noctis didn't look all that put out about it, but he made sure to inject as much whining into his voice as he could through his wide smile.

Prompto spun around, jabbing his friend's chest sharply, suddenly serious. "AND Jason."

Noctis' grin dropped, lower lip slipping dangerously into pout territory. Prompto kind of wanted to bite it.

BeCAUSE HE Was annoyed! Yeah!

...Also because it was adorable.

But none of that until this got resolved. They could not keep going on this way, especially to a dude who didn't deserve it in the slightest. And Noctis COULD NOT keep treating Gladio and Ignis that way either. Prompto would make sure his family was getting along like they should, even if it meant he would have to deny himself what he wanted.

Noctis still wasn't answering, gaze narrowing in thought. Prompto rolled his eyes. "Come ON, Noct! Jason's a cool guy! I think you'd actually like him if you just gave him a chance."

Shoulders dropping dramatically, Noctis let out a blustery sigh, looking up at the ceiling as if in a bid for sanity. "Fine! I'll apologize!"

"Aaaand?"

"And...give him a chance."

"Woohooo!" Prompto fist pumped the air. "Now this roadtrip can really get started! Whoops!" He danced out of the way as Noctis made for him yet again. "No can do, buddy. Not till you actually apologize." He wiggled his brows, laughing outright at Noctis' put out look.

"Fine, but here," he pressed the curative into Prompto's hand firmly. "Take this. We haven't run into anything yet, but I don't want to chance it with that limp you've got." He walked past the blonde, smirking slyly over his shoulder as he took the lead into the tunnel beyond.

Prompto looked down at the bottle in his hand, heart warming and melting all the ice he'd been made to endure before. And when he looked up, he could see the lines of happiness back in Noctis' shoulders, once bowed with grief and anger now back to their usual proud sway.

There he was. Prompto hadn't known just how much he'd missed his friend until that moment, but damn, it was good to see him back.

Pressing the bottle to his lips briefly–it would just have to do until he got to taste the real thing–he sighed happily before crushing it in his palm, allowing the soothing cold to heal his wounds before falling into step beside his best friend. Time to get out of here.

-o0o-

AN:

Idk why, but it feels like nothing happened in this chapter. I think it's because I've never tried to write a romance before. Like, I don't consider romance to be 'plot' I guess? Because a lot did happen: Prompto confessed, Noct sort of did, he got him to agree to stop being a butt, and we got all the feeeeeels. Anyway, it still kind of bothers me, but oh well. I COULD go on and on about all the goblin fighting and shiz they do in the caves, but I was like, why? You guys know what happens!

Next Chapter: What have Gladio, Ignis and Jason been up to? Wouldn't you like to know.

Let me know what you guys think!


	17. Trust

_Shadow swallowed Prompto's thin frame seconds before a large blast shook the canyon and sent dust flying into the air. Blinded by debris and shock, Jason, Gladio and Ignis only had time to stumble away before the entrance to the cave collapsed in a violent wave of solid sandstone._

Jason was thrown to the ground, the violent blast sending him backwards several yards as he dove out of the way of the falling boulders. He narrowly avoided being crushed, but the blast sent rocks and debris spewing outwards, hitting him with bruising force over and over again. He might have screamed, but he could not hear it over the harsh ringing in his ears and the concussion of his own heartbeat.

He wasn't entirely sure how much time passed, as time seemed to slow in the wake of his adrenaline, but it couldn't have been more than thirty seconds before the ground stopped shaking from the force of boulders falling and tumbling from the cliff above. Arms shaking so badly he could hardly control them, he forced them to unclench from around his head so he could look around. At first he could see nothing, but as the dust cleared it became apparent what happened.

"Oh, no," Jason whispered in shock. Or at least he felt like he did. He couldn't hear anything over the ringing in his ears. He scrambled to his knees, staring wide eyed at the devastation that was once an entrance to a cave. It had completely collapsed, solid sandstone reduced to nothing but rubble, blast marks scarring the cliff above it like a blackened wound.

A sharp pain, like a knife to his chest, surprised Jason with its intensity, left him gasping. "Prompto," he breathed, voice breaking. His gaze flicked rapidly back and forth in denial, looking for something, anything that would let him know that he didn't just witness what he thought he did. But the image before him did not change, and there was no denying that only a wall of stone remained where his friend once stood.

"No," he denied anyway, stumbling to his feet and lurching forward. "No, no, no!" It couldn't be. He had been standing right there, just a moment ago, _he was right there–_

Jason braced two trembling palms against the wall of crumbled stone, a powerful urge growing in him like an itch beneath his skin to move, break through, _do something_. And before he knew it his hands were moving, scraping against the wall's rough surface, rocks and dust and crumbled earth tumbling to the ground. It was useless, he knew it was, but that didn't abate the charged need in his blood to try anyway.

Muffled shouting filtered through the cotton in his ears, but he couldn't quite make it out over the ringing or the rush of his blood. He let out a cry of excitement as the rock before him shifted, thinking he was getting somewhere, when a violent tug on the back of his neck had him lurching backwards. He grunted as his back impacted with a solid wall of muscle, struggling when it pulled him back roughly. Why was he being held back?! He had to get to Prompto, now! He scratched at the arms holding him, desperate to get away and get back to his fruitless digging, when the ground shook. Jason snapped his head up and froze as the rock lurched and crumbled, sending another wave of crushing weight right where he had been standing.

"Oh," he gasped, relaxing into the hold marginally. The shock of nearly dying again cleared his head a little, and finally sound broke the barrier of his panic. A voice cut through the fog, rumbling from the chest behind him and bringing him out of it completely.

"Jason," Gladio grunted, still holding him tightly. "Cut it out. You can't get to them like that, you'll just get yourself killed."

Finally sensate again, Jason relaxed completely. "Gladiolus." He clutched at the arm holding him. "Prompto...He…"

"He's alive," Ignis said, stepping into his line of sight.

"How do you know that?" Jason despaired. How could he possibly know? He saw him, saw him run into that cave right before it exploded, there was no way–

Ignis peered into his face, scanning for what, Jason hadn't the slightest idea. But he was too upset to care. "Prompto is a member of Noctis' house. If he fell, we would have felt it."

Jason blinked. "Wha–? Okay, you'll have to explain that one to me later. But. A-are you sure?" At Ignis' nod, Jason slumped, energy completely drained out of him. Relief like nothing he'd ever felt before flooded his veins and rendered him limp against Gladiolus' chest, the day's events catching up to him all at once.

"Whoa, kid, hold on, don't pass out on me." Gladio's arms tightened around him, and Jason couldn't bring himself to care.

"Not a kid," he mumbled.

"Tch. Tell that to me when you don't look like one."

"Wha! Seriously? How many times do I have to tell you–wait." Jason frowned. "What about Noctis?" he asked, a slight stab of guilt swooping low in his stomach. He hadn't been concerned for the raven at all. He might not like the dude very much, but that didn't mean he wanted him dead.

Ignis narrowed his eyes at the wall of crumbled stone, concentrated or worried, Jason couldn't quite tell. "He's also alive. I have no way of knowing what condition they are in, however, so we need to get to them as soon as possible."

"Y-yeah," Jason cleared his throat. "Yeah." He tried to stand upright again, but Gladio did not let up on his grip. "Um. You can let go of me now." For a split second, the grip tightened further and Jason's heart leapt violently in his chest. "Uh?"

"You won't try to dig through that again, got me?" Gladio rumbled, and Jason nodded rapidly. Once he was released, he scrambled forward and spun around, but Gladio wasn't paying him any mind, brushing the dust from his shoulders. The larger man looked at the wall contemplatively, sharp golden eyes evaluating.

"How exactly are we going to get through this?"

"We aren't," Ignis replied. "We'll need to find another route. These underground bunkers usually have more than one entrance. The question is, where?" The brunette pulled out his phone and tapped at it for a couple of seconds, frowning. "I'm afraid we don't have navigation out here. And even if we did, it probably wouldn't be marked. We may need to backtrack to the hunter base and ask around."

"That will take forever," Jason interjected, tense. "They may need our help! We can't just leave them in there overnight!" The base was hours away by foot. It had taken them all day to get here, and the sun was setting swiftly.

"We may not have a choice," Gladio shrugged grimly. "They are definitely not getting through that any more than we are. Did you try calling them, Iggy?"

"It's no good with them underground. I barely have reception as it is."

"Can't we like, I dunno," Jason gestured vaguely, trying to put words to what he was thinking, "send Noctis a note through the armiger or something? I mean, he sensed it when I took things, right?"

Gladio and Ignis exchanged a look. Gladio scratched the back of his head, looking up into the sky thoughtfully. "That...might actually work. We can put a note in the armiger and Noctis will feel it. The only problem is there would be no way for us to know if he got it, 'cause none of us have the control he does."

"We can only summon objects directly linked to us, such as our weapons," Ignis added. "And also certain curatives with distinctive magical signatures. I'm afraid non-magical objects are beyond our abilities."

"So if he sent a note, we wouldn't be able to tell."

"Right."

"But wait, I can. I have access to your inventory." Jason hit his fist into the palm of his hand, excited. "I'd be able to–"

"Oh, no. No way you're messing with that power of yours again," Gladio interrupted. "You could put them in even more danger if you drain Noct."

"You have a better idea?" Jason huffed.

"I don't think you understand quite what it is you are asking," Ignis pushed up his glasses sharply, the lenses reflecting the dimming light. "The armiger isn't just a storage mechanism, it's connected to Noctis' life force. Only those closest to the royal family, those sworn to protect it and their country with their lives, are chosen to access it. To use it without being inducted into his house and without his express permission is a perversion. You didn't just exhaust him when you accessed the armiger, you took a piece of his life."

"...I–" Jason swallowed hard, trying to speak past the twisted knot in his throat. "I had no idea." He looked down at his hands in horror as if his abilities were laid out in his palms like macabre bloodstains. He'd been stealing Noctis' life? What kind of fucked up power did he possess that he could just do that? His skin crawled, a violent shiver working its way up and down his spine. Whatever it was, now that he knew about it, he didn't want it. The fact that Noctis granted this ability himself, knowing what he was sacrificing to give his companions power...and that Jason could just take it against his will...no wonder he looked at him with such hatred. Jason clenched his hands, mouth dry.

"Now you're getting it," Gladio said seriously. "That still doesn't solve our problem though."

The three stood in silence for several minutes, contemplating the obstacle in front of them. But no matter how they looked at it, there was no way through. Without knowing where the other entrance lay, they would need to return to the hunter base to get more information. Unless.

"I have another ability that might be useful," Jason said slowly. Ignis and Gladiolus gave him skeptical looks, but he soldiered on. "I don't think it would affect Noctis at all, since it isn't related to his armiger." In fact, thinking back to when he was inside of Noctis, none of his other abilities seemed to affect him.

Gladiolus shifted impatiently Jason remained silent. "Well, what is it?"

"I can access the world map. It has icons on it that indicate towns and dungeons and stuff." He winced, half expecting another dismissal. Ignis and Gladiolus exchanged a look, and then Gladio shrugged, like, 'can't see how it would hurt to indulge in this guy's delusions.'

Taking that as permission, Jason blinked, bringing up the game menu. His vision blurred before cool blues and blacks consumed the reds and golds of the sunset in the canyon. He had to blink again in confusion though, as the menu seemed to have changed drastically. Whereas before, it looked precisely like what he was used to in his own reality, it appeared to have...morphed. No longer was there a lineup depicting the three of them standing idle; he could still see his surroundings, only muted and blurred at the edges. An otherworldly music filtered in from somewhere far in the distance, it's echo unsettling in the gloom. Gladio and Ignis were still there, watching him curiously, and time appeared to be moving normally. A little thrill of fear jumped within him, but he felt eased when he saw that the menu was still there, hovering a bit strangely but still mostly the same. Experimentally, he 'selected' the inventory with a gesture, just to see if it still worked.

It did. Only no words appeared, at least not words he could read. Instead, he just seemed to know what was in it, somehow. The back of Jason's neck prickled. It was a strange, unsettling feeling, almost like something was feeding knowledge directly into his head. He shook out his arms, not liking that at all. Okay, focus Jason. Map. Dismissing the inventory, he pulled up the map, which did consume his vision. That, thankfully, seemed to be mostly the same. Zooming in on his location as he did before, he scanned the surrounding areas. Yes, there was the familiar symbol for a dungeon, the red stone arch. He scanned around to see if he could find another entrance.

"What are you seeing?" Ignis asked curiously, his voice muffled.

"It's a map of Eos...I think I've found something," Jason said slowly, squinting. "It looks like another tunnel entrance about four miles south of us." An uncomfortable feeling began slithering up and down his spine and Jason shuddered visibly, reminded acutely of the sensations right before he was sucked into the game. With a jerk of his head, he dismissed the menu and rubbed his arms vigorously, abolishing the stinging. He clenched his eyes shut tightly, taking a deep breath.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he muttered, forcing his eyes open. The bright light of evening caused his head to ache after the darkness of the menu. "It's just weird, is all. The menu looked...different."

"I'm assuming you mean the 'game' menu," Ignis said skeptically.

"Yeah. It looked just like the game when I used it a couple days ago. Now, it's...I'm not sure. It's just different. Instead of words, it was like...information feeding directly into my head?" He grimaced, disturbed.

"Interesting." Ignis walked up to him slowly, looking into his eyes closely. Or rather, at them. Jason shifted uncomfortably, brows drawing together. "Your abilities are changing? Perhaps it is just your interpretation of them that is changing to match this reality."

"Guys, can we talk about this while we walk? We won't make it four miles before the sun sets and I really want to get a camp set up before dark."

Jason looked around, alarmed to see that it was indeed getting dark. Reluctantly, he admitted that Gladio was right. "What about sending that note? We could at least let them know about our plan and tell them where the entrance is. And I might not be able to summon it, but I think I can at least tell if Noctis replies."

Ignis nodded. "I'll take care of it," he volunteered, taking out a black notebook from his back pocket. "Did you happen to see any havens nearby?"

Jason thought back. "No…"

"We'll just have to sleep in shifts then," Gladio supplied. "It's going to be rough without our camping gear, but we should be fine as long as we get out of the wind and stick close together."

"We should be going then," Ignis gestured to Jason. "Lead the way."

Jason nodded, taking the lead in the general direction he saw the entrance. He would probably need to check the map again, and something about that made his skin crawl. He hoped he wouldn't need it, not after the most recent harmful revelation about his abilities... Gladio and Ignis fell into step beside him, their presence more comforting than he ever thought they would be. "So, do you guys believe me now?"

Gladiolus snorted, but didn't answer. Ignis however, regarded him thoughtfully. "There is no denying that you have abilities that we can't explain. Whether we believe the circumstances of your arrival hardly seems to matter at this point. I'm more concerned with who brought you here, and why you were granted the abilities you have."

"Well...at least whoever brought me here seems to be trying to help," Jason muttered dubiously. That might be the case...so far. He hoped whoever was pulling his strings–and oh, how he hated that idea–didn't do this for some malicious purpose. He didn't want to be someone's tool to bring even more trouble to the doomed people of this world. Especially since all of this was against his will anyway. Why was he chosen? Surely it wasn't chance…He licked his lips nervously and shook off his dark thoughts. There was no way to know right now anyway. Had to focus and get Prompto back before worrying about anything else. "Do you think Prompto will be okay…?"

"You sure seem to care about him an awful lot," Gladio said, startling Jason, who hadn't realized he'd said that outloud. Gladio peered at him out of the corner of his eye, face inscrutable.

Did he? Yes, he supposed he did. He'd only known the man for a few days–not even, if you counted all of the drama in between–and to his surprise he found that he already considered Prompto a fast friend. It wasn't even anything Jason did on his part. Prompto just seemed to...accept him into his little family with minimal fuss. It really had been heartstopping when he thought he'd lost him. And yes, it would hurt Jason if he died. He'd never gotten so close to someone so fast before, but he supposed it was a combination of Prompto's easy personality and just the plain fact that they'd already been through so much together. To Gladio, he offered a shrug and a nod, the vague gesture the only thing he could think of. After all, it wasn't like he could really explain their connection.

Belatedly, it occurred to him that he might not be able to get home without Prompto. The thought alarmed him, as he'd completely forgotten that it was his connection with Prompto that began this all.

Was...Prompto somehow behind this…? That can't be right...

-o0o-

As Jason withdrew into himself, thinking, Gladiolus and Ignis fell behind, exchanging a significant look. Making sure Jason wasn't paying attention, Gladio leaned in close to Ignis. "I know that look. What are you thinking, Iggy?"

"I'm not certain."

Gladio nodded, accepting the answer for now. Ignis seemed deep in thought, and he knew better than to try and pry answers out of him before he was ready. Instead, he asked something else that'd been on his mind. "Do you think we can trust this guy?"

A flash of green, half obscured by the reflection of the setting sun on his glasses, was there and then gone, locking steadfastly forward onto the meandering back of the enigmatic stranger. Ignis thought long and hard before answering, measuring Jason's proven qualities over his perceived notion of him. There was no denying the fact that Jason had come through for them on more than one occasion, without any indication he wanted anything in return. For all intents and purposes, he seemed genuine in his desire to help, even though not all of them had been kind to him. And that was just it. Ignis couldn't figure out his motivations. By his own admission, he wasn't even from this world, was taken from his home against his will.

His head was telling him this was suspicious, that there was something disingenuous going on behind that disarming smile and selfless demeanor. There was a feeling though, a gut instinct that told a different story.

Jason cared for Prompto, that much was obvious. To what extent, Ignis wasn't even sure Jason himself knew, but it was there all the same. And even though he hadn't received kindness from the rest of them, he still stepped in to help them to the detriment of himself. Who–or what–ever summoned Jason to this world chose well, for Ignis was starting to believe that Jason was genuine.

Perhaps he was just using them to find a way home–wherever that happened to be, whether a figment of his imagination or a true alternate reality. But even so, few would go to the lengths Jason seemed prepared to to reach that end, and even more than that, didn't seem to mind in the least that he was endangering himself in the process.

"Yes. I believe we can," Ignis said decisively. He watched as a slow smile overtook Gladio's features, golden eyes glinting to stare mischievously at Jason's weaving back. Ignis frowned disapprovingly. "Try not to scare him off with your terrible pickup lines, you insatiable flirt."

"Hey, my pickup lines aren't terrible. They worked on you, didn't they?"

Ignis sniffed dismissively. "It wasn't your pickup lines that impressed me, I assure you."

"Oh, then what was it? My good looks?" Gladio sidled closer until Ignis could feel the heat radiating from his shoulder against his own. He leaned down slightly, gaze heating. "My impressive...size?"

"Your modesty," Ignis deadpanned, pushing Gladiolus away. The larger man moved back a few paces with a chuckle. "Do try to focus, Gladio. His Highness and Prompto will both be in danger until we can get to them. We don't need," he glanced at Jason with a small frown, "distractions."

"Yeah, I know," Gladiolus said, sobering. "But they're probably fine. They can take care of themselves. In fact, I bet they're making out or something as we speak." He elbowed the brunette in the side conspiratorially. "I mean, have you noticed the way Noct's been acting ever since Jason showed up? If he hasn't confessed by now in some hissy jealous rage, I'll eat my shirt."

"You're not wearing a shirt." Gladio shrugged, smirking. Ignis' gaze darkened, remembering the prince's outburst. "Yes, well, overdue confessions aside, I hope Prompto can talk some sense into him. We cannot continue on like this."

"If he doesn't, I _will_."

Ignis knew it was no idle threat, and one he agreed with wholeheartedly. Despite improving leaps and bounds over the years, Noctis still had a terrible temper when provoked, something that may one day prove disastrous. Not only was this possessive behavior unhealthy, he could not afford it as King. Ignis partly blamed himself for indulging him in his youth, as he knew it stemmed from his rather isolated childhood, but that was neither here nor there. Noctis would have to mature if any of them were to survive the coming years.

Ignis looked to the sky in concern. "We need to find a defensible position soon. The sun's called it a day."

Gladio grunted in agreement, scouting the area swiftly. Once he found a suitable spot–an old building, still mostly intact–he called out to Jason, who had gotten some distance ahead. "Hey, Jason! We're stopping here for the night!"

Jason jumped at the loud shout, seeming surprised that he'd gotten so far ahead. With a nervous look around at the growing twilight, he jogged over to them. Ignis noticed the drag in his step and droop in his shoulders with some sympathy. He would be sure to take the first watch so Gladio and Jason could get some rest…

The three of them made their way over to the abandoned building, Gladio delighted to discover a door that, though it was long detached from the hinges, could cover the doorway if wedged in. Once they were safely inside, they decided unanimously that a fire would draw too much attention.

"We'll have to wait until morning to forage, unfortunately," Ignis said. "In the meantime, you two get some sleep. Gladio, I'll wake you in a few hours."

"No arguments here," Jason muttered through a jaw cracking yawn. He slid down the wall and drew in his knees, shivering visibly. The night was already cold, and the shirt and armor he didn't dare remove did little to keep out the chill.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gladio rumbled from his seat several feet away.

Jason's face scrunched up in confusion. "Um. Sleeping?"

The larger man scowled. "How are you going to keep warm all the way over there?" He lifted a long arm in invitation.

Jason stared, cheeks heating, before his eyes narrowed cautiously. "Uuuh, I'm good, thanks," he said, huddling in on himself further. Ignis watched concernedly from his position by the window, frowning. Jason's trepidation was understandable, considering recent events. Now that he was one of the group, though, that needed to change. Gladio seemed to agree.

The shield sighed. "Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but we need to trust each other if we are going to travel together, okay? Now come here, baby face, you're going to freeze."

"Baby face?!" Jason immediately protested, face flushing in indignation.

"Heh, yeah, you've got less facial hair than Prompto, and that's saying something."

Ignis smirked. It was true. Despite being here for days without shaving, Jason barely had a five o'clock shadow to show for it.

Jason rubbed at his hairless face, affronted. "Fuck you, dude, I've got Native American blood in me."

Gladio rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, whatever that means. Just get over here." His tone was uncompromising in the face of Jason's glare, and the dark skinned man huffed, dragging himself to his feet. He hesitated, crouched before Gladio, not sure how to proceed, but yelped as the larger man tugged him down against his side and drew him in with his ridiculous wingspan. For several moments, Jason sat tensed, eyes wide and face heated, but it only took registering how warm the larger man was before he slumped against him in relief. He was out like a light only a few minutes later. Ignis eyed him, satisfied that he was no longer shivering, before resuming his watch.

Gladio snorted in amusement. "Well that was fast. Do you think he could handle a shift?"

Ignis glanced back briefly. "I don't think so, not tonight. He's clearly untrained. I'll wake you at midnight. And Gladio," he turned back to the night, scanning for possible threats as the sun sank fully under the horizon, stars winking out in glittering waves, "try to keep your hands to yourself."

He got a breathy chuckle in response. "No promises."

Ignis did not deign to answer. He shook his head, exasperated fondness tugging at the corner of his mouth insistently. His last thought before he focussed on his task was that he hoped Prompto and Noctis would be alright. It was going to be a long night.

-oo-

Though the night was long an tense for the two warriors, their new companion slept like the dead, face relaxed in sleep and body languid and warm against first Gladio, then Ignis when he took his turn to sleep, not stirring in the slightest when manhandled into position. Daemons prowled the night in the distance, the two keeping a sharp eye on them in shifts through the long hours of cold darkness. Eventually, the sun did rise, breaking through the valley in stunning rays of gold that warmed the earth and eased the hearts of those not protected by settlements.

It was Gladio's turn to watch, but Ignis was already awake as well, staring idly at the black mop of unruly hair resting against his shoulder, Jason still out cold. Clearly the man hadn't had any opportunity to groom it, as it stuck out in every which way and appeared hopelessly tangled, flopping against his high cheekbones in disarray. Ignis' fingers itched to run through it to arrange it in some semblance of order, but knew that without proper tools it would be a useless endeavor. He'd have to deal with it once they were all together again and Noctis could summon their supplies. In the meantime, it was some time yet before the sun fully rose and they would need to head out, so he let him sleep just a little while more.

"It's safe to go out now," Gladio whispered a bit later, voice low. "I'm going to see if I can find us something to eat."

Ignis nodded absently, waving the man off. Gladio slid the door from its frame and placed it against the wall before slipping out. Ignis cracked his neck, grunting at the stiffness from sleeping against a hard surface for an entire night, before he gently shook Jason's shoulder. "Jason. It's time to wake up. The sun has risen."

The dark skinned man groaned piteously, wiggling into Ignis' side and mumbling incoherently into his neck. Amused, and reminded sharply of a younger, more clingy Noctis, he tried again. "Jason. Wake up."

Jason froze, pulling back abruptly. "Wha–Ignis?" He looked around blurrily before seeming to remember where he was. "Oh. Right." He yawned widely, jaw cracking, and scratched irritatedly at his head. "Whattimeisit?"

Ignis made to automatically pull out his phone, but realized that it was probably dead since he hadn't had access to the Regalia to charge it. "Just dawn," he said instead. "Gladio will be back soon, so you should get prepared to leave."

"Ugh," Jason groaned, flopping back onto Ignis' shoulder. Ignis lifted a brow, finding it curious that Jason seemed to have less inhibitions this early in the morning. "That hoe better bring me some food."

"I think I might actually pay to see you say that to him while he's in the room," Ignis said dryly, amused.

Jason shrugged, then tensed as Gladio strode back into the room. He smirked at them. "Nice to see you finally awake, sleeping beauty." Jason scowled, sitting up to retort, but Gladio cut him off, a bit of urgency seeping into his tone. "Iggy, I think we've got a problem. We aren't alone out here."

"What do you mean?" Ignis got to his feet and walked out the door, squinting into the early dawn. Gladio pointed into the distance, a smoking vehicle just visible around the canyon's bend.

"Looks like someone's in trouble."

"Are we going to help them out?" Jason asked as he stepped up beside them. His face was pinched with worry, and perhaps a hint of fear. "They could be being attacked by wild animals."

"Hmm," Ignis hummed, pulling his eyes away from Jason to consider the car again. It was too far away from them to discern what make it was yet. He couldn't see any movement from this distance either. "We cannot afford to waste too much time. Prompto and Noctis could well need our help," he mused reluctantly.

"They're still alive, and princess has potions. I say we check it out. Can't really avoid it anyways, it's the only way through the canyon." Gladio rolled his shoulders, walking decisively forwards. Ignis didn't hesitate to follow close behind, mind eased of guilt at Gladio's point.

It took the three of them about a half hour to traverse the stretch between their resting place and the distressed vehicle. As they got closer, it became apparent that no one was being attacked. A red convertible stood on its own, a white stripe painted down its center, smoking at the hood. A lone figure moved about it, no doubt trying to repair the damage. As they moved closer, a distressing change seemed to overcome Jason, the young man falling behind significantly and growing alarm painting his features. Gladiolus didn't seem to notice, intent on getting to their destination, but Ignis fell back a few steps, drawing level with the dark skinned man.

"Jason? Are you feeling alright?"

Jason did not take his widened gaze from the stranger, growing visibly more nervous the closer they got. "I'm not sure...Ignis, do you recognize that guy? He looks familiar…"

Brows drawing together in concentration, Ignis examined the stranger closer. He couldn't see all that much through the smoke, and the stranger was bending over his engine. He just made out a flash of what looked to be red hair above his rather overdressed form, when Jason gripped his shoulder tight enough to bruise, bringing him to a halt. Ignis stuttered to a stop with a grunt. Before he could protest the rough treatment, however, he absorbed the alarmed and almost frightened look on Jason's face. "Ignis. We need to leave. Now."

It was too late though, because as soon as they were within hailing distance, Gladio called out to him. "Hey! You alright over there?"

Jason tensed, digging his fingers painfully into Ignis' shoulder as the stranger stood up, revealing a charming debonair smile beneath a fedora and a shock of red hair. "Ah," the traveler threw out his heavily dressed arms in welcome. "I'm saved!"

The man was odd looking to be sure, but appeared to be nothing more than an oddly dressed traveler. Indeed, Ignis found him vaguely familiar, as Jason stated, but that did not account for the look of horror tightening Jason's expression and quickening his breath. The stranger's eyes slid over the three of them slowly, as if examining particularly interesting wares at a market, and when they locked onto Jason curiously the man flinched. Instinctively, Ignis stepped in front of him, scowl darkening his features. Whoever this man was, and whatever his history with Jason, Ignis knew better than to ignore the feeling of trepidation crawling up his spine. If Jason was frightened of this man, then that was all Ignis needed to know.

Especially when that suddenly suspicious smile widened fractionally when he caught sight of Jason. Whatever he wanted, Ignis was getting the feeling he didn't want to find out.

-o0o-

AN:

I've created a tumblr so I can start posting the art I create for this story :) Also, I like to reblog stuff for FFXV and VLD and occasionally FMA. If y'all ever wanna chat, hit me up :D.  
Username: lynxrider  
I created an image of Jason for those of you who were curious about what he looks like. You can see all the art for this story under #hack. I think. I'm not sure exactly how tumblr works yet...  
Anywho, thanks for your support everybody!


	18. Even Ground

The second Jason locked eyes with Ardyn, he knew he was in trouble.

Well, okay, understatement of the century. _In trouble_ was parking in a no parking zone. _In trouble_ was running out of money for the month a week before you got paid. _In trouble_ was that sneaking suspicion you forgot to lock your apartment.

Jason wasn't _in trouble_. He was in _deep shit_.

Why hadn't he been expecting this? He knew on some level that he would be facing Ardyn at some point or other, but fuck him if he had absolutely no idea how to handle this situation. It was just, he thought he would have more time. He thought back hard, mind racing a mile a minute trying to remember the first time the guys interacted with the literal final boss of the game. He couldn't quite recall, but he was dead certain that this is not how it happened.

Unfortunately for him, his time to think was over.

With alarm, Jason noticed the world leeching of color, Ignis' and Gladio's skin paling to a facsimile of death as they fell completely still. The canyon about them muted into a dull grey until the only color Jason could see was the bright red of Ardyn's hair and the unnerving white of his smile. Jason froze. Had he done this? Had he recognized Ardyn as a threat and stopped time when he fell still? But no. There was no telling pull of Jason using his powers. Then what…?

The answer came with a steady pressure of malice mounting from the man in front of him. Jason couldn't move as Ardyn took a sauntering step forward. Jason resisted the urge to blink hard as Ardyn's image blurred strangely, a dark static following in his wake. It was unsettling, like watching fingers drag through an oil slick, the miasma following the man's form in swirling waves of black. Fear sparked hard in Jason's chest as the man moved towards him.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? What manner of creature glows so brightly in the dark?" While the smile remained, Ardyn's tone was anything but friendly, dark voices overlapping with his own. Golden eyes, so unreasonably bright in the dim light of the stagnant world, narrowed as if staring into the sun. Jason still couldn't bring himself to move as Ardyn sauntered closer, haloed by his dark aura.

It was only as Ardyn came within reaching distance of Ignis, who stood just in front of Jason, that Jason realized he was the only thing standing in between Gladiolus, Ignis and this creature. Or at least he would be if he hadn't been cowering behind the stronger man while the daemon drew nearer. With a surge of adrenaline, Jason wrenched himself from his stupor and stood in front of Ignis, feet planted firmly on the ground and arms held to his sides at the ready, though his hands trembled with nerves.

Ardyn's eyes widened a fraction as he came to a stop, smile sharpening into something dangerous. "It moves," he breathed. "It resists my magic."

"Back off," Jason growled, though he winced as his voice broke tellingly.

Amusement sparked in Ardyn's smile and he tilted his chin back tauntingly. "My, my, full of surprises, aren't we." He took a step forward deliberately and Jason stumbled back, feeling himself brush against Ignis' chest and forcing himself to stop, cursing at his own cowardice but knowing he stood no chance against this man. Mocking laughter bit into him and he grit his teeth as a surge of anger had him glaring into the man's taunting eyes. It was without bite though, and Ardyn knew it.

"No need for that," Ardyn chuckled, lifting his hands in surrender. "I'm not going to do anything untoward, I promise."

Jason scoffed. Sure. That's what they always say. Ardyn's words were a direct antithesis to his aura, which spiked and swirled around him in malignant waves. If Jason could have put an emotion to it, it would be 'unbridled anger'. Ardyn shrugged before placing his hands behind his back. He was moving again, circling around Jason's side. Automatically, Jason put himself between Ignis and Ardyn once more. Something dangerous and smug glinted in Ardyn's eyes at the protective gesture and he stopped. Lighting fast, he grabbed ahold of Jason's arm and jerked him forward.

Jason stumbled with a gasp, then cursed as the grip dug into his arm painfully. Instinctively, Jason reared his other arm back to counter, the now familiar surge of magic spiking through his limbs, only for a percussive force to knock his fist back. With a cry, he felt his arm fall to his side in painful numbness, useless, eyes clenching tightly shut in agony. "Now, now, enough of that. I just want to get a good look, pet, I assure you." Ardyn spoke gently, but there was nothing gentle about the harsh grip that dug into his upper arm, so forceful Jason could no longer feel his fingers, much less move. Jason's eyes snapped open as Ardyn's other hand grabbed his jaw roughly and turned his face towards him.

Jason froze in fear as he found himself much closer to the man than he ever, _ever,_ wanted to be, close enough that he could smell the foul odor of _wrongness_ on his breath and see the black pit of his soul in his ambre eyes. Worse than that though, Ardyn's aura crowded in around them, licking against Jason's skin in an almost physical caress that left black smudges against his tanned flesh. Jason gasped harshly as the corruption burned, eating at him and growing about them until the darkness was all he could see. Darkness, and the malignant glow of Ardyn's eyes. Panic clawed into Jason's limbs and burned from his center, animal instinct bringing him beyond the point of reason.

 _No, no, no, no, NO! Get off, get away–_ "STOP!"

Light surged from Jason, brighter than anything he could even imagine after even this short few moments in the dark. Something heavy shifted in his chest and sparked through his limbs, electricity manifesting around him and banishing the burn marks on his skin. Ardyn flinched back with a hiss, withdrawing several paces as his aura withdrew into his body. Just as quickly as it came, the light receded back into Jason's core and the young man gasped, falling to his knees as a trembling fatigue shook his limbs. He gasped for air loudly, gripping his middle and finding it hard to draw breath.

" _Oh,"_ Ardyn breathed, slowly standing straight from his defensive position and eyeing Jason with keen interest. "This _is_ interesting. How on earth did the fool prince manage to summon a _Messenger?_ "

Aaaaand there was that word again. The fact that Jason hadn't even brought it up himself, whether by his puppet master or his own volition, just brought home the fact that 'Messenger' was Jason's assigned role in all of this. If he wasn't so unreasonably exhausted, he would jerk harder at the figurative leash he could feel tightening about his neck. As it were, all he could do was breathe and hide his weakness from Ardyn.

Experimentally, Ardyn raised a hand and gestured at the air, barely wincing as bright sparks burned his hand badly, blackening his skin. "Hm. I wonder what God is protecting you. Curious." He considered Jason's hunched form critically before shrugging lightly. "No matter. It seems like I have rather overstayed my welcome." The air crackled threateningly in response and Ardyn grinned. "I will take my leave. I meant to play, but it appears my game was given away. Seems we'll just have to play another day, though I daresay the game has...changed."

Within on blink and the next, Ardyn was gone. Jason shuddered a gasp and gripped the dirt in front of him. Wind swirled around him, cooling his overheated skin as life leeched back into the world in a rush of light and sound. Jason looked over his shoulder blurrily to check on Ignis, but found his vision failing. So he closed his eyes and just focused on breathing. At this point this exhaustion was familiar. He knew it would pass, even as bitterness for it's reason coated the back of his tongue.

"What the devil?" Ignis exclaimed in alarm from behind him. Gladiolus cursed from somewhere ahead.

"Where'd he go?!" A loud curse, and then the insistent crunch of gravel came to Jason from somewhere far off, and then work roughened fingers were against his skin, lifting him from his slumped position. He fluttered his eyes open to find Gladio's concerned gaze inches from his own. "Jason? What the hell happened?" he growled too loudly, and Jason flinched back from his angered tone and stern frown, too tired to school his reaction. Something dismayed flashed behind Gladio's eyes as Jason pulled away as if burned, and he backed off. A warm reassuring hand on Jason's shoulder calmed Jason and he leaned into it, recognizing Ignis' touch. Gladio's expression closed off as he stood, watching steadily.

"Jason, can you hear me?" Ignis said calmly, and Jason nodded, his senses coming back slowly.

"Yes," he rasped, pushing himself up and leaning back on his knees. He winced as that heavy _something_ shifted in his body like a physical thing before settling back into nothing. "I'm fine. Just–tired."

"What happened?" Gladio asked again, but this time his tone was quieter, more subdued.

Jason eyed him carefully, scanning him for any aggression and finding none. A knot of relief eased a bit and he relaxed. "Ardyn Izunia," he said, nodding to the area where the man had stood, noticing for the first time that all evidence that he had been there–including the car–had vanished. Not surprising.

"The Chancellor of Niflheim?" Ignis said skeptically, eyeing the area as well.

Jason sighed. "Yeah. The big bad himself." He cursed lowly. "Didn't think he would show up so soon," he muttered, almost to himself.

"What do you mean, the 'big bad'?"

"I mean, the boss of the game."

"What, him?" Gladio scoffed lightly, but even that had Jason's back up, prickling with annoyance.

"Yes. Him. He came to mess with you guys." Another wave of dizziness had Jason groaning lowly, rubbing his forehead to stave off the headache he felt coming. "He's the Starscourge."

He could see every line of disbelief and shock in Gladio's face, the man subtly biting his lip to no doubt hold back from discounting Jason again. Jason was starting to wonder why in the hell he bothered telling them anything, frustration burning him from the inside out. Something must have shown on his face, because Gladio's shoulders relaxed, a subtle shifting in his mein. "Okay," he said simply, slowly. "Okay."

Jason blinked in surprise at the acceptance, then frowned suspiciously. That was too easy. He didn't trust it. As if reading Jason like an open book, Gladiolus sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "We can discuss the details later. You say he's dangerous, and I believe you. Right now, we need to find Noct and Prompto."

It wasn't perfect, but Jason would take it. "Okay," he parroted before attempting to get to his feet. His legs still shook, but the fatigue was passing. He shook out his limbs roughly, ridding himself of the final vestiges and feeling himself settle back into normalcy. Belatedly, he realized that Ignis' steadying hand was still resting on his shoulder lightly, as if waiting for him to collapse once again. He regarded the man carefully, remembering how he stepped in front of him before. It warmed him to see that concern in Ignis' eyes, and he smiled faintly, cautiously. "Ignis, we've got to stop meeting like this."

Ignis' lips twitched at the joke, but he didn't comment. He withdrew his hand slowly, ready to intercede if Jason needed it. "Are you alright?"

Jason nodded slowly, though whether he actually was was another matter. His body seemed to be doing alright now. Him though? He really just wanted a long, scalding bath. He could still feel Ardyn's hands and corruption all over him, and the thought made his whole body shudder. "I'm fine. We should get moving."

He strode forward purposely. He didn't want to think about it. Not Ardyn's hands, not his mocking gaze, not his unsettling words. He just wanted–he wanted–

Soon enough, he heard the crunch of Gladio's and Ignis' boots following him. Neither man said a word to him, for which he was grateful. He focused inward and concentrated solely on calming down.

They walked for a few hours in silence, or so Jason assumed. If he'd looked back, he would have noticed the silent conversation going on between Ignis and Gladio, too many significant looks exchanged. But he didn't care. There was only one face he wanted to see, one voice he wanted to hear. So he kept walking forward blindly.

 _The game's changed...the game's changed..._ He shook his head, nervously pushing it back. Not now. He can't handle it right now...

"There's a haven ahead," Ignis finally broke the silence. With a jolt, Jason came back to himself and glanced around. Sure enough, a haven appeared just around the bend in the canyon. It was hard to tell from this distance, as they were still about a mile off, but it looked occupied, smoke drifting from its center.

"Is it them?" Gladio said, straining his eyes to see that far. Jason squinted as well, spying two figures dressed in black.

"Sure looks like it," Jason answered, though he couldn't be certain. As they watched, one of the figures began jumping up and down, waving his hands erratically in their direction. A well of relief flooded through Jason, almost enough to send him to his knees. But he held his ground, feeling that he'd made enough of a fool of himself today.

"Undoubtedly," Ignis agreed, smiling at the display. "It appears they received our message." They could hear shouts now, familiar voices drowned out by the ever constant wind. The three picked up their pace, fatigue forgotten in their excitement to reunite with their missing friends.

Soon enough, they reached the edge of the haven, Noctis and Prompto jumping down to meet them. Prompto verily bounced in excitement, a complete one-eighty of the upset Jason had last seen him in. Noctis was more subdued, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips. Though both men looked a bit worse for wear, their clothes covered in dust and dark stains, neither seemed injured aside from the rust of blood flaking on their skin and in their hair, already healed.

"Guys! You made it!" Prompto shouted. Jason edged away as he watched the blonde go from one man to another, reminding Jason sharply of a wolf cub greeting his pack after a long separation. He smiled quietly to himself at the image. Almost immediately, Ignis strode to his prince and began fussing over the shadow of blood in his hair, slapping Noctis' protesting hands to the side when they tried to stop him. With a resigned huff, Noctis allowed it, grunting as Gladio gave him a firm slap on the back. Gladio ruffled Prompto's hair and the blond pulled back playfully.

And then Prompto's blue eyes met Jason's. A complicated swell of emotion swept through Jason like a wildfire; relief, worry, and echoes of the terror he felt when he thought Prompto had been killed. Without even realizing what he was doing, he strode forward and engulfed Prompto into his arms. Something sharp and painful inside of him relaxed.

"W-woah, haha! You alright, buddy? It's good to see you, too!" Despite his surprise, Prompto's arms came up easily enough to embrace Jason and pat him comfortingly on the back.

Jason huffed a laugh, squeezing harder. "You don't even know the half of it." Prompto was alive, and he seemed so much better than the haunting images Jason had imagined after the explosion. Better than that, he was back with the only man in this dumb universe that actually listened to Jason and believed his words and actually freaking _cared_. He pulled back, smiling fondly at the light flush on Prompto's cheeks, and flicked him on the forehead. "I thought I'd lost you there, for a bit."

Prompto scowled, rubbing at his forehead before his face lit up again with a shrug. "Nah, man, it takes more than a cave-in to take me out!"

Jason laughed. "So I see." Prompto's eyes widened for a split second before he joined in, rubbing at his nose before shoving his hands in his pockets awkwardly.

"Ahem," Ignis called, breaking the moment. Both men startled, remembering that they weren't alone. Jason winced, noticing for the first time that all three of them were staring at him and Prompto. He snuck a glance at Noctis, afraid he'd ticked him off again, but the prince's face was a blank mask. Without a word, Noctis turned away and climbed back onto the haven. "I do believe it's time for lunch, gentlemen," Ignis said with a smirk.

"Foood," Prompto groaned dramatically, slumping and wrapping his arms around his stomach. "Iggy, you are a _god._ "

Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose with a sniff, smile teasing the edges of his mouth. "Does that mean you volunteer to help?"

"Eh-hehe. You bet, Iggy." Prompto practically skipped up the incline, Ignis following at a more subdued pace.

Jason just stood there for a moment, staring at a vague point between his feet. The relief at finding Prompto alive and well was quickly being dimmed by the reminder of his discord with Noctis. That, on top of the remaining tension from his altercation with Ardyn, made food the last thing on his mind. He sighed heavily.

"Hey." Jason's head snapped up, finding Gladiolus still standing there, studying him steadily. Jason shifted nervously beneath his gaze. After a moment of silence, Gladio jerked his head over his shoulder, "You coming, or what?"

"I-uh. Yeah." Jason nodded, walking past Gladiolus and giving the man a wide breadth. He thought he heard a sigh, but it was too windy out here to quite tell. Must have been his imagination.

He walked onto the haven to see the rest of the guys moving about the camp stove busily. Well, Ignis was. Prompto gestured wildly with a couple of bowls while Noctis stood against the table next to the animated blond. The taciturn man was smiling–not just the usual smirk, but an actual warm tilt of his lips–and standing just a little too close to Prompto to be entirely platonic. Jason narrowed his eyes, wondering what had happened between them to warrant such closeness. The last time he had seen Prompto, after all, was right after Noctis had practically disparaged his entire existence.

"—and then this huge freaking spider daemon popped out! It was super creepy with a woman's torso and spider body," Prompto shuddered visibly. "I thought we were done for!"

"Oh?" Ignis said indulgently, busying his hands with cutting vegetables.

"Yeah! But then Noct was like," he lowered his voice in a comical imitation of his best friend, "'Tch, I'll take this thing out in no time' and I was like 'Oh, yeah, prove it'! And then–"

"And then we killed it," Noctis interjected before the blond could get too excited.

"Aw, Noct! I was just getting to the good part!"

"Sure you were," Noctis said playfully. "If it were up to you, we'd be standing here all day."

"Rude."

"And?" Ignis prompted. "Was your venture successful?"

With a smug look, Noctis held his hand out and summoned a huge axe, holding it easily aloft with one hand, though it looked like it weighed fifty pounds, easy.

"Nice," Gladio said, spinning one of the campchairs about and slouching into it. After a brief moment of hesitation, Jason eyeing the three remaining chairs, the weary man slumped to the ground instead. He sighed in relief as he finally got weight off his aching feet. Gladio raised a brow, but didn't comment.

Noctis grinned back at Gladio, but his smile faltered as his gaze passed over Jason. He dismissed the weapon in a flash of blue. Jason tensed as the camp fell quiet save for the wind and the sizzling of cooking food. Prompto shifted nervously, staring at Noctis pointedly. Noctis glanced at him before pursing his lips. With a sigh, Noctis shifted to his feet, turning to face everyone in the camp.

"Look, I–" Noctis scratched the back of his head. "I know I've been kind of an ass lately."

"Kind of?" Gladio scoffed. "I'm half surprised you didn't start pissing to mark your territory."

"Gladio, please," Ignis groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Prompto covered his mouth in a vain attempt to hold back a snort of laughter.

Noctis narrowed his eyes but didn't rise to the bait. "As I was _saying_. I've been under a lot of pressure lately, but that's no excuse. I've treated you and Ignis badly. I'm sorry."

Ignis and Gladio stared at the prince impassively for several moments. Finally, Gladio nodded. "Spoken like a true prince," Ignis said, pride coloring his tone.

A ghost of a smile returned to Noctis' face, warmth softening his features, but Jason only felt cold. He looked away, staring into the ever burning embers of the enchanted campfire. It wasn't like he'd expected anything different of course. It was–good. That Noctis apologized to his friends. He'd been pretty awful to them. Jason forced himself to ignore the miasma of negative feelings inside of him, thinking of the positive. Whatever had been bothering Noctis seemed to be resolved.

It was a good thing.

A soft clearing of a throat had Jason coming out of his thoughts, surprised to find a pair of feet standing not a few paces from him. He looked up, startled, to find Noctis standing over him awkwardly, avoiding his eyes. "Jason."

"Uhm. What?" Jason ventured cautiously.

With a click of his teeth and a resigned huff, Noctis sank down to sit across from him on the ground, though his camp chair was only an arm's length away. The prince couldn't seem to find a place to rest his eyes, gaze flicking back to Jason and then away just as fast. Jason almost spoke, but whatever seemed to be making Noctis nervous was shaken off with a deep inhale. When the prince looked back up, it was a steady gaze and determined set of his jaw that did not back down. Jason almost began to see the prince he remembered from the end of the game, the one who emerged from the crystal. He shook off the imagery, focusing on the here and now. "I've behaved poorly," Noctis said formally, to Jason's unending surprise. "I took out my grief and confusion on you when you didn't deserve it, and for that I apologize." His blue eyes glinted with unforeseen sincerity, and Jason gaped, leaning backwards in surprise. He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

Luckily, he didn't have to say anything, because the prince wasn't done. "Messenger or gamer or whatever, you've been trying to help from the start and all I've done is yell at you." Noctis ran a hand through his hair, shaking loose a bit of dust. "I don't know if you still want to come along, but I thought I'd officially ask. I can't guarantee that we'll be able to find a way for you to get home, but I'm willing to try. Will you come with us?"

The other three were staring at them, but Jason paid them no mind, shocked. "You–" he cleared his throat. "You'll just let me leave? If I didn't to want to? I'm free to go?"

Noctis nodded.

"Even though I could drain you?"

Noctis winced. "I'd appreciate it...if you wouldn't do that."

A slow smile began to widen on Jason's face. He really meant it. He would let Jason leave, was showing him _trust,_ even after everything that'd happened. "...Yeah. Okay. I'll go with you guys." Not like he would have even considered for a second leaving. He'd already decided. But this. This felt nice.

Noctis nodded, a ghost of a smile passing over his own features. "Hey, Noctis?" Jason said, smirking. "I'm glad you didn't die."

"Erm. Thanks?"

"It would have been a pretty pathetic end for the supposed hero. Would totally kill the ratings."

"Hey, now!" Noctis chuckled, leaning back on his hands. "I'm a five star character!"

"Nu-uh," Gladio interjected, sitting on the ground as well, a steaming plate of food in his hand. "If anyone's a rare," he grunted self assuredly. "It's me."

"Well, I have the coolest DLC," Prompto piped in, sitting next to Noctis and handing him a plate. "Right Jase?"

"Er–" Jason said noncommittally.

"Don't mind him," Ignis dropped beside Jason gracefully, looking unfairly composed for one who was sitting on the hard stone ground, and handed Jason a plate of something delicious. Ignis paused for effect. "He's just envious because my DLC is clearly superior."

"Wha–" Prompto spluttered, and the five of them broke down into laughter, the atmosphere loads lighter than it had been since the beginning of all this mess. Eventually the merriment died down and Jason was starting to consider inhaling his meal when he got another pleasant surprise.

"Jason," Ignis started. "Noctis isn't the only one who's treated you poorly. Gladio and I would like to extend our apologies as well." Jason's mouth went dry. Man if they didn't stop apologizing soon, he was going to blush.

"Y-yeah, me too!"

Jason blinked. "Prompto, you didn't even do anything."

"That's not true!" Prompto's brows drew together. "I didn't defend you like I should have. I should have listened."

And their expressions were so earnest, even the stern-faced Gladio, Prompto actually _wringing his hands,_ that Jason couldn't take it anymore. With an embarrassed groan, he hid his face, feeling the flush he'd been trying to hold back hit him full force. He was grateful for his tanned skin in that moment more than any in his life. "Guys, stop, you're killing me," he forced through a laugh. "I get it already!"

"Aw, I think we broke him," Prompto cooed. Jason glared through his parted fingers at Prompto's smug face. He grunted as a hard slap landed on his shoulder, Gladio's booming laugh filling the air.

"Yeah, yeah," Noctis said, back to his usual vaguely bored tone, his previous elegance a fading memeory. "Are we done now? I'm starving." He glanced down at his plate and made a somewhat disappointed face when he found way too many vegetables infringing on his meat. With a grumble, he began picking at it, ignoring Ignis' automatic tutting.

"Not quite~" Prompto singsonged. Prompto set his food down on the ground and pounced forward, taking Noctis' face in his hands. The prince's eyes widened to the size of saucers in shock and his gasp of surprise was muffled as Prompto covered his lips with his. Ignis, Gladio and Jason fell so silent in astonishment that Noctis' moan was clearly audible.

Jason coughed out a startled laugh as Gladio immediately began catcalling, whistling loudly. "About freaking time," the larger man exclaimed, shit eating grin on his face as he watched avidly. Prompto was grinning into Noctis' mouth, flipping Gladio off before deliberately straddling Noctis' lap and slotting their lips together more forcefully, Noctis responding with enthusiasm.

"Whoa!" Jason felt a hot flush race through his entire body, half embarrassment and half something he couldn't quite bring himself to name, before he hurriedly averted his gaze, falling back and staring at the sky with a nervous laugh. "Okay, then. That's a thing."

Ignis sighed, a put upon sound if Jason ever heard one. "And here I was thinking we should invest in another tent. Now I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"Oh my god," Jason groaned. He peaked up at Ignis to find the man smiling with amusement. "I fully support the purchase of another tent. So they can do that. On the _other side_ of the camp. Please."

Ignis gave the reclined man a considering brow, mouth curling into a positively secretive smirk. With a flash, Jason remembered that Ignis and Gladio were also together. Aaaand that they'd both hit on him. Oh god, what had he gotten himself into? He gulped and Ignis quirked a brow before looking away smugly. "Alright, you two, that's quite enough. We need to move on."

"Aw, but Iggy! We should just stay here for the night~!"

Ignis shook his head, smiling indulgently. "Not when there's a perfectly good camper not half a day's hike away. I daresay all of us could use a bath."

A collective cheer went through the camp from all four of them, and Jason couldn't help but feel like he'd just gotten permission from his parent to have some ice cream. With another laugh, he threw his arm over his head, just soaking in for a second the sense of relief from the horrible tension that had been eating at them all. And now here the five of them sat, on even ground, completely ignoring the four perfectly good chairs behind them. It wasn't perfect yet, not by a long shot, but when Jason sat up to eat his meal and easily slipped into the four's banter as if he'd always been a part of it, he couldn't help but feel optimistic for the first time in an age.

Ardyn's words hovered in the back of his mind, waiting on the fringes of his anxiety like the dark crawling of miasma. But it could wait. For now.

-o0o-

AN:

This is so gay. So. Gay. This is probably the most self indulgent trash I've ever written (except my femslash series of course, but we don't talk about that…). On that note, I'm thinking a solid wall of fluff in the next chapter. And if the boys just happen to get their hands on a bottle of brandy, well, I'm sure I won't be held responsible…They're grown men after all.

And oh, yeah! Plot happened. Ardyn, what could you possibly mean? Can't wait to find out!

Thanks for your support everybody! Come find me on Tumblr ( lynxrider) if you wanna keep up with fanart and updates and stuff or if you just wanna chat. I'm currently working on a scene from chapter 16 ;). See you next time!


	19. Safe

It's a couple of days later and Prompto was deep in thought contemplating the twists and turns life could take in a moments notice. Well, deep in thought for him, anyway. Currently he was kind of just staring off into space while they walked, occasionally complaining about the desert heat and chattering aimlessly whenever he got too bored. But he couldn't be bothered by that really, not while his head was still spinning from a certain recent development beyond his wildest dreams. And believe him, his dreams got pretty wild. But it was nothing compared to his new reality.

Noctis? Was _dating_? HIM?

He still chuckled nervously every time the thought it, like, whoa, this was his life now. He didn't even freak out this much when Noct first became his friend. There was a difference between then and now thought; then, he had been psyching himself up for years. This just kind of happened out of nowhere! He never thought in a million years that his crush would be returned.

Prince _Noctis_.

 _Prince_ Noctis.

And every other form of stress on every syllable possible–was dating Prompto!

Honestly, thinking about their interactions in the last couple of days, though, it hadn't changed much. They'd been best friends for years and had a shorthand all their own. Since that first day in high school, Prompto had been stuck to Noctis' side to the point where he'd practically moved in with the guy, abandoning his parents' empty home in favor of more fulfilling company.

Heh. Full- _filling_ company.

Prompto's eyes took on a faraway look as he bit his lip, thinking of their very first kiss, not two days ago. The way Noctis fit against him perfectly, their lips slotting together like lock and key, like it was always meant to be. And apparently they'd both felt that way about each other for ages, according to an exasperated Gladio who wouldn't stop teasing the life out of them both. So much wasted time! But it was hard to regret all the time they spent as best buds when the result was the both of them transitioning into this new facet of their relationship as easily as slipping into a warm bath–familiar, and satisfyingly _hot_.

Noctis' face, that tiny moan of surprise when Prompto kissed him...yeah, he would remember that for the rest of his life. After the kiss, Noctis had given him this goofy smile that Prompto never quite got the pleasure of seeing before, this sweet spot between his usual awkwardness and a bashful flush that would be burned into his memory for eternity. It made Prompto want to kiss him again. So he did.

Of course it had to come to an end though, the two of them teased mercilessly by the rest of their travel companions. Even Jason, who'd been standoffish at best, opened up and joined in the goading, a little more comfortable after their talk. Prompto couldn't find it in himself to be even slightly annoyed by his friends though, because Noctis' hand slipped into his, firm and sure even as he bemoaned the teasing. And all of Prompto's insecurities, his inferiority complex, and his propensity to take everything too close to heart melted away as even that simple act sent lightning bolts up and down Prompto's spine and a unprecedented heat in his belly.

After all of the depression and angst of the events in Keycatrich, Prompto was practically walking on air.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Noctis asked from his side with dry amusement, and Prompto came back down to earth, realizing he was walking around with this goofy grin on his face. Again.

"Oh, y'know…" Prompto rubbed the back of his neck, lightly skipping over a rock in his path. "Just you."

Immediately, the prince's eyes widened, clearly caught by surprise by Prompto's honest answer. "Uh."

Prompto laughed and punched Noctis in the arm playfully as the raven stumbled for an answer, the action as familiar as breathing. "Ha! Dude, you should see your face!"

"Shutup," Noctis mumbled, pouting ever so slightly and shoving him back. But then eyes crinkled at the sides as he attempted to hold back his smile.

"Why don't you two just get a room already?" Gladio called from a ways back.

"Good idea," Prompto quipped, tapping his chin in exaggerated thought. "Hey Iggy–"

"No."

Prompto groaned dramatically, whining in the back of his throat. "Buuuuut~"

"We've discussed this, Prompto. We cannot afford our next meal at the moment, let alone two rooms in a hotel."

"Iggyyyyyyy~"

Ignis sighed, running his hand through his hair. " _Or_ another tent."

Tch. No privacy to be had then. Looks like the fun would just have to wait.

That was their current predicament in a nutshell, and one of the reasons they were still trudging around in this godforsaken desert. The Regalia was fixed, sure, but after their impromptu stay at the severely overpriced hotel room at Galdin Quay, the five of them couldn't afford a bag of peanuts, much less fuel. Which meant it was back to bounty hunting for them. They were on the hunt for a few overly aggressive spiracorns at the moment, but so far their prey had remained elusive.

Still, even if Prompto knew all that it wouldn't stop him from doing what he did best; getting as many smiles out of his companions as he could by being as annoying as possible!

Prompto pouted, but Ignis would not be moved no matter how he glistened his eyes. Prompto couldn't hold it for long anyway, a laugh bubbling out of his throat, especially when he caught sight of Noctis, the prince resolutely walking at the front of the group, the red tips of his ears poking out of his hair like tiny brake lights. Prompto couldn't believe how bashful Noctis was being about this whole thing. Sure, he'd kept stoic through the comments and jibes, but his prolific blushing gave him away every time. Which was absurd, because Noctis was hardly a blushing virgin.

The both of them had had their fair share of lovers. At least, they'd talked about sex and shared experiences on occasion over the years. Well, okay, _Prompto_ talked about his experiences and Noctis just more or less listened, only telling of a few vague stories about some nameless retainers when Prompto was lucky enough to get him drunk. And _man_ were those stories something, awkward as sin and positively _golden_ – at least, those few details he could get out of his friend. A prince couldn't very well go around sleeping with just anyone, after all, and Noctis was pretty reluctant to talk about it.

Come to think of it, he'd been a blushing mess then too.

Prompto shook his head with a grin before he could get too deep in imagining just how far that blush went, dismissing the thought of past dalliances easily. To distract himself, he spun around and called out to his newest friend. "Hey, Jase! Do you think…?"

Prompto trailed off, smile falling slowly as he realized that Jason was nowhere in sight. Wait, not true. Prompto could see him about fifty paces behind the rest of them, chocolate eyes trained on the ground and steps slow, meandering things. Prompto's heart twinged a little as he saw the expression on the older man's face he'd found more and more familiar the past couple days; black brows drawn together and little wrinkles of worry around his strained lips, shoulders hunched as if awaiting a blow. He looked haunted.

It was the expression that only happened when he was left alone, when he thought no one was looking.

Prompto wasn't sure what brought it on, and didn't know the man well enough to really say, but he could guess. It was no more than what the rest of them had gone through, though; they were all in pretty much the same boat. And yet spirits had lifted greatly for the four Insomnians as they found purpose in their mission and resumed their comfortable camaraderie they'd been maintaining for years. Not so for Jason, it appeared. He still seemed so alone.

But things had gotten better for him, right? The four of them had stopped being suspicious, and little by little, Jason had started to open up to them. Right?

Guiltily, Prompto realized he didn't really know. He'd been pretty caught up in recent events and didn't even ask how Jason was doing. Every time he'd noticed Jason acting off he'd be distracted by Noctis' smile when the prince found another note that Prompto put in the armiger for him (Prompto was delighted about that little discovery), or helping Ignis cook, or running with Gladio, basically falling into the same role he always took. That and Jason was hiding it well, laughing on cue and participating in conversations when spoken to. Which. Wasn't that often, really. In fact, Prompto was the only person who really talked to him.

And he'd been.

Distracted.

Well. Now he felt bad.

Prompto cringed when he remembered how desperately Jason had hugged him when they'd been reunited. Like he'd been his only friend in the whole world, which he kind of had been? Sort of? At least, the only one who hadn't tried to kill him yet?

Okay. Time to fix this. Or at least try. Prompto was good at cheering people up, after all! Maybe he could ask Ignis and Gladio what was up. They'd spent that entire day and night with Jason while the group had been separated, and that made them the ones that have spent the most time with him.

"Hey, Iggy," Prompto said, turning back around and jogging to catch up with Ignis. "Do you have any idea why Jason's looking like that?" He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder and Ignis glanced back.

The brunette pushed his glasses up his nose thoughtfully. "It's hard to say. He's still pretty wary of us, so I doubt he would answer even if we asked."

Prompto winced guiltily. "But, like, _have_ any of us asked?"

Ignis paused. "...No. I suppose not." He tilted his head. "You know, we did have a strange encounter while we were searching for you two. A man with a broken down vehicle." Ignis frowned and Prompto sensed that there was more to it than that, but Ignis didn't elaborate. He shook his head as if ridding himself of a irksome fly before continuing. "Jason seemed to be afraid of him. And then the most peculiar thing happened…" He shook his head again.

"What? What happened then?" Prompto asked, wondering why no one had mentioned this before. Who was Jason afraid of? Wasn't that kind of, he didn't know, important?

"I'm...not certain. My memory seems to be hazy in that respect." A wrinkle appeared between Ignis' brows, eyes narrowing. He blinked, and then it was as if he came out of a daze, hazels sharpening once more. He placed a hand on Prompto's shoulder. "Try talking to Jason. If anyone can find out what's bothering him, it's you."

"Huh? But what about the man with the broken down car? Did you help him?" Something unsettling fell heavy in Prompto's chest at the empty look in Ignis' eyes. He'd seen that look before. It was starting to feel a little off again.

Ignis lifted a brow. "What man?"

Prompto's heart stuttered. "The. Um. Man with the broken down car that you stopped to help," he clarified slowly.

"I don't recall. When did this happen?" And for the life of him, Prompto couldn't find any indication that Ignis could remember the conversation they'd just had at _all_.

He gulped. Juuust great. Prompto plastered on a smile. "Ahaha, nevermind, musta been someone else who told me that story." He shoved his hands into his pockets to hide the shaking. "Okay, I'll just go see what's up with Jase, h-he seems kind of down."

Prompto made a quick exit, backing away from Ignis like he'd caught fire and ignoring the brunettes concerned look. Soon enough, though, Ignis shrugged it off and resumed following Noctis and Gladio, who'd fallen into step with each other some distance ahead.

Prompto took a deep breath, trying in vain to calm his nerves. Okay. Okay. He bit his lip, hard, suddenly feeling as alone as the time leading up to Jason's arrival, his friends seeming miles away. Again. Why had he thought that everything was back to normal? Something was still messing with his friends and Prompto did _not_ like it.

Prompto dropped back until he drew level with Jason, the man not noticing him at first. For a moment, Prompto just walked beside him, nervous. What if he didn't remember either? What if he knew something important about the mysterious man but his memory was erased too!?

He must have been staring longer than he realized because Jason finally looked up. For a second, all of the worry and fear in Jason's face remained frozen in place, but he arranged his features with marked effort to give Prompto a friendly smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Uh, Hey Prom, what's up?"

Prompto didn't return his smile it and Jason's false cheer faltered. "Who was the man with the broken down car?" he asked seriously. Jason's expression didn't change for a moment and Prompto's anxiety skyrocketed in the few second interim. And then Jason answered.

"They remembered?" Jason asked, disbelief coloring his tone, along with a dash of fruitless hope.

Prompto shook his head rapidly, nerves rising even though he was at least a little relieved that Jason remembered. Once again, it seemed like they were the only two that knew what was going on, and Prompto didn't feel quite so alone. "N-no! I mean, I asked Iggy what happened and all he said was that you guys had a 'strange encounter' and that you were afraid of the guy! And then he, like, blanked out or something and then it was like the conversation never even happened!"

Jason's shoulders dropped, crestfallen. "I was afraid of that." He brushed a black curl from his forehead, swiping a bead of sweat from his tanned brow with a deep sigh. "I tried talking about it with Ignis after we found you guys, but he didn't seem to know what I was talking about either…"

"And Gladio? Does he remember?"

A curious expression came over Jason, a nervous shift that was there and gone before Prompto could quite place it. "Um. I didn't ask. But I doubt it."

Prompto hummed. "Do you think it's the same thing that was messing with them before? I mean, the blank look, the memory problems..."

"No...I don't think so." Jason took a deep breath. "The guy that we ran into...his name is Ardyn Izunia." He paused as if expecting Prompto to know who that was.

"Okaay?"

Jason huffed, "He's the _literal_ boss you guys have to beat." And then he winced.

But Prompto was too shocked to examine that reaction. He stopped dead in his tracks, Jason stumbling to a halt as well. "Wait, _what?_ You ran into the boss already?!" He gasped, looking Jason up and down. "Are you okay? Did he do anything to you? Oh my Gods, does he have crazy evil powers of _mind control?!_ Is that why the guys don't remember stuff?"

Jason just stood there, gaping as Prompto shifted from foot to foot in agitation. "You...you believe me?"

"Well, yeah! You've been right about everything else!" Prompto scoffed. But more importantly! "So like, what does he look like? Does he have a cape? Can he transform into a giant monster? Wait, what's his evil scheme? Is he with Nifelheim or just–Jase? ...Jason?"

Jason stood stock still, a hand covering his eyes and shoulders limp. Prompto couldn't see his expression, but his hand shook ever so slightly.

"Jase? Buddy? Did he hurt you?"

Jason nodded, then shook his head, dropping his hand. Prompto was taken aback by the smile he received, the guard Jason had held without anyone noticing falling apart like so much dry clay. There was slight glimmer at the corner of Jason's dark eyes, but the smile was filled with so much relief that it sent a pang through the blond. "You believe me."

And then Prompto realized just how much it must have been burdening Jason, the thought that no one believed a word he said, or hell, even remembering what happened before their very eyes. Guilt and empathy gnawed at Prompto's throat, knowing _exactly_ how that felt. And there Prompto was, too damn distracted by his newfound happiness to realize Jason'd been struggling. "Hey, I'm–" he started, only for a hand to slap over his face. He blinked, bewildered.

"I swear, if you apologize _one more time_ , I might have to resort to drastic measures." Mischievousness glinted in Prompto's eyes and Jason grimaced, snatching his hand back and rubbing it vigorously on his pants to get rid of the spit all over it. "Ugh! Prom!" But he laughed, swiping at Prompto and missing by a mile.

There! That's what Prompto liked to see. "But seriously. The boss of the game?"

Jason's smile faltered. "I don't want to talk about it…"

Prompto tilted his head in concern, noting the worn cast of Jason's brow, that look from earlier coming back in increments. "Yeah, okay. Whatever you need." He burned with curiosity and not a little bit of worry, but Prompto was already feeling loads better just knowing that someone else was on the same level as him, and Prompto wasn't going crazy. Jason would tell them if there was an immediate threat, so it didn't seem like they were in too much danger. The least he could do was be there for Jason and listen when he was ready to talk.

"I'll tell you guys about it soon, I just…" Jason rolled his shoulders before sighing. He cast his eyes about, looking for a new topic. "So, you and Noctis huh?"

Prompto brightened. "Uh, yeah, haven't you been paying attention?" He chuckled. "But yeah, I don't really believe it either. I mean, who woulda' thought!"

"Is he even allowed to be gay?"

"G-ay? What does that mean?"

It was Jason's turn to stumble in disbelief. "You're. You're kidding right?"

"Um, no?" Prompto rolled the foreign word around in his head, trying to place its odd cadence. Definitely a different language. It didn't sound Lucian at all.

"What, seriously…? Oh, you are serious. Wow. It um. Means someone who prefers the company of men." Jason rubbed the back of his head.

"Prefers…? Oh! Yeah, I don't know if he only likes dudes. I mean, he's had a crush on Luna, like forever. And there was that one girl in high school, whats-her-name." He stuck his tongue out, trying to remember.

"So he's bi?"

"Okay, now I _know_ you're just making words up."

Jason raised his brows, opening his mouth a couple times to say something but only coughing out awkward laughs. "No, I–You know what, nevermind! The reason I ask is because I thought he had to produce an heir! And like, he wasn't allowed to be with a man?" he finished stiltedly, voice rising in pitch.

Prompto wasn't really following, but he could answer that easily enough. "Oh, okay. Yeah, I mean, but there are other ways to produce an heir! It's not like he was only marrying a woman so she could have his kid! That would be pretty sad, don't you think?"

Prompto didn't think he could quite describe the contortions Jason's face went through after that statement, kind of like he'd just gotten hit over the head with a stick or something. Prompto couldn't help but think he was missing something obvious. Or maybe Jason was just weird. Meh. Guy that pretty had to have some flaws. "Uh, anyway. Luna was chosen because of her status as heir to Tennebrie. She does have an older brother, Ravus, who _would_ be heir if he hadn't defected to join Nifelheim." He wrinkled his nose. "I've never met him, but he sounds like a real jerk. I can't imagine King Regis would have agreed to _that_ arrangement. At least Noct actually likes Luna."

But it didn't seem like Jason was really listening anymore. Rude. And here he was, answering his questions so nicely... Prompto waved his hand in front of Jason's face experimentally, just to see if he would break out of that far off look he was sporting. Jason jerked, blinking at Prompto's questioning gaze. "Er. Sorry. Just thinking how _drastically_ different our histories must be." He mumbled something under his breath, almost too low for Prompto to hear, "...explains _so much_ …"

The sound of battle interrupted the question Prompto was going to ask. Ahead–too far ahead, Prompto didn't even realize how far they'd fallen behind–Noctis, Gladio and Ignis faced a half dozen spiracorns, the beasts charging aggressively only to be rebuffed by blade and magic. "Crap! Nice chatting with you Jason, gotta go!" He started forward, only to pause when Jason made to follow. "Aaaah, you might want to stay back. We got this, no big."

Relief flooded Jason's expression as he relaxed back into a walk. "Hwooh. Okay. Yeah, go get'em."

Prompto grinned. "Prepare to be impressed by my awesomeness, hapless civilian," he shouted theatrically before he ran to jump into the fray.

"Lame!" Jason called, and Prompto punctuated his laugh with a bang.

-o0o-

They got the call just as they were finishing gathering their trophies from the spiracorns.

Jason grimaced as he wiped his hands on his jeans, brushing off dried flakes of monster blood and handing over the final horn for the tipster. Noctis took it easily, banishing the piece, seeming unconcerned with the fact that he'd had his hands all over animal carcass.

Eugh. This was why Jason never enjoyed hunting. And the things were freaking huge and the noises they made when Jason dug his knife in...eugh.

Noctis smirked, as if he knew exactly what Jason was thinking about. "Squeamish, huh?"

"Oh, don't even," Gladiolus joked, coming up behind the prince and jabbing him in the back. "The first hunt we went on, you nearly threw up."

"Yeah, but they were _bugs._ "

"Hn. Sure, whatever you say."

A chatter of ringtone chirps interspersed with vibrations interrupted what might have become a full on argument, and Noctis shoved his hand into his pocket, grumbling. With a surely glance and a swipe of his finger, he put it up to his ear. "Cor."

Jason could hear Cor's dry rumble through the speaker, though he couldn't quite make out what he was saying. The other three gathered around, waiting patiently as Noctis listened. "Yeah, we got the second arms...Yeah? Is there a way around–Okay, gotcha. We'll get there as fast as we can." Noctis clicked his teeth in annoyance and raised a brow at his phone, shoving it back into his pocket. "Tch. Abrupt as ever."

"Like you're one to talk, princess."

"Yeah, dude! You hang up on people like it's going out of style!"

"Shadup."

Ignis crossed his arms, pointedly ending the argument. "What did the marshall have to say?"

"Looks like the rode to Lestallum is blocked by imperial troops. Cor's waiting for us at the crossroads."

Gladio frowned."That's not good. Puts a kink in our plans to meet up with Iris."

"Wait, what?" Jason asked, confused. "When did we decide to go to Lestallum?"

Gladio rolled his eyes. "She called while you were moping, baby face." Prompto guffawed, mouthing 'baby face' in disbelief.

"What? I wasn't–will you quit calling me that!" Jason squawked indignantly. With a heaving sigh, Jason let it go, willfully ignoring Prompto and Noctis' snickers. Okay, yeah, he had been kind of lost in thought lately. Can you blame a guy? But he knew they were heading there anyway, so whatever if he missed the decision.

Even if no one asked him his opinion on the matter. Not like they would listen if he provided one anyway.

Gladio raised an eyebrow. "Problem?"

Jason's heart skipped unpleasantly. "Uh, no. No problem." He cut his gaze away. "It's your sister. Of course we're going." Nerves jittered through him beneath Gladio's gaze involuntarily, body preparing for a fight against his will. His shoulders tightened and he winced internally, hoping no one noticed.

The several awkward seconds of silence while he examined a pebble resting on his shoe was thankfully interrupted by Prompto's nervous laughter. "A-haha, well! Better get those horns to the tipster so we can buy fuel! Gotta be able to actually get there, y'know! Let's get going!"

Jason let out a long, silent breath as the four of them moved out. He cursed himself for his reaction harshly, not knowing what the hell had him so jumpy around the larger man, but realizing that he couldn't control it. Gladio didn't have to so much as shift in his direction to get Jason's heart to stutter. And not in the good way. It was maddening, especially when the four of them were doing their best to be friendly.

He knew what it was, had been thinking about it for a while. Gladiolus was the first person to put his hands on Jason with aggression since he came to this world, and Jason's path had been nothing but violence and pain ever since. Now, no matter how justified Gladiolus' aggression was in that moment, every time he nudged or talked to Jason or even looked at him sideways, Jason could only remember that moment.

Jason knew it was dumb. He knew Gladio's character from the game, which had been at least mostly accurate when it came to personality and decision making. Not only that, ever since the ceasefire, Gladio had treated him with nothing but respect–his concern when Jason collapsed, his inclusive (if sometimes lewd) jokes, even listened to him when Jason was telling him Ardyn was dangerous. Even if he didn't remember it later because of Ardyn's meddling, it still _meant_ something to Jason.

He got the feeling that if he tried to tell him about Ardyn again, Gladio would listen.

So why? Why couldn't Jason let it go? Why couldn't he relax around Gladio like he had Noctis and even Ignis, who'd _literally_ put a knife against his throat?

Was it his strength? All of them were stronger than Jason with their abilities.

His size? Jason was around men his size every day in his profession, sparred with them, _trained_ them.

The fact he flirted with him? Again, nothing new. Jason's favorite joint was a _gay bar_ for God's sake! And Gladio hadn't done anything to suggest he would force the issue.

So WHAT?

It wasn't until he tripped badly over his own feet that Jason unclenched his eyes and looked up, realizing he'd been walking blindly. He saw the guys some distance ahead already, bunched together and sending looks back his way. Great, just what he needed, them thinking he was even more nuts. He picked up his pace with a sigh. This was a problem. He couldn't deal with the stress of being afraid of a man he would have to spend who knew how long with, one he'd have to trust if he wanted to get out of this situation alive _and_ try and fix this messed up story.

He needed to deal with this. Soon. Before Lestallum, before Ardyn, hell, before he had a damn breakdown at the wrong moment and got someone killed.

–

Several hours later, the five of them climb onto a haven on weary limbs. They were just on the outskirts of the small town they'd gotten the bounty from, exhausted from a full day of stalking dangerous animals. And fighting them, but Jason got to sit this one out, thankfully. Loathe as Jason was to spend another night in a cramped tent in the freezing desert, he was just grateful they would be able to afford to eat tonight. There was only so many tough desert plants he could eat without getting sick, even if it _was_ cooked by Ignis. And the toast. The motherfucking toast was _real_.

"Uuuuugh, I'm so _hungry_ ," Prompto whined, true to form.

"I'm starving to death," Noctis added unnecessarily, and Jason rolled his eyes. These two really were something. Jason was one to complain on occasion, but he hardly felt it necessary when the two youngest of the group could do enough for the five of them combined.

"Good then, you two can help me buy groceries," Ignis said dryly. Immediate protests flew forth loudly and obnoxiously but Ignis only had to cross his arms and threaten to not cook and it shut them up quickly. "Noct, I need you to come with me to deliver the bounty in any case. Unless you were going to make me carry them?" Ignis raised a brow.

"No, Ignis," Noctis said longsufferingly, as if long accustomed to acquiescing to Ignis. Which, he kind of was, Jason thought with amusement. The amusement fled completely a minute later, however, when Noctis dumped the camping gear on the ground and he, Ignis and Prompto prepared to move out.

Which would leave him alone. With Gladio.

Juuust great.

"Ah, Ignis–" Jason started, only to be steamrolled by Prompto's sudden enthusiasm.

"O-ooh! We need to get something good. I want meat! Meat, Iggy!"

Ignis nodded, and Prompto cheered. Then, "Jason, Gladio. Would you mind staying behind and setting up camp? We may be awhile."

"You got it, Iggy," Gladio answered, and Jason could only watch as the three of them wandered out of camp in the lengthening twilight. For a split second, Prompto turned back, concern coloring his features as if he'd forgotten something important, but Noctis pulled him around and Ignis distracted him with talk. They disappear around the hill.

Jason felt himself tensing again, aware that neither he nor Gladio had moved a muscle yet. He closed his eyes, steadying his nerves. Okay. Okay, he could do this. Gladio was a good guy. He wasn't going to jump him or anything. He took a deep breath and turned around, meeting Gladio head on. Immediately, he could sense by Gladio's stern stare that the man knew exactly what was going through Jason's head. There was a wariness in his golden gaze, a considering look. Jason hadn't gotten anything past Gladio, and that sent a stab of guilt through him, as the man hardly deserved it.

Jason rubbed the back of his head. "Look, I–"

"You want a drink?"

Jason blinked. "Uh. What?"

"I said," Gladio enunciated slowly, smirk growing on his face. "Do you want a drink?" He made a show of looking left and right before pulling out a sparkling bottle of ambre liquid from behind his back.

Jason gaped. "Is that. What I think it is?" Where had he even been hiding that thing? His pants were skintight and the mand didn't even wear a _shirt_ most of the time.

Gladio winked saucily, and Jason almost laughed at the absurdity. "I might have pulled a few strings with the big boss to take care of the kids for a while."

This time Jason did laugh, gasping at the ridiculous image of Ignis holding Prompto and Noctis' hands and taking them to the market.

Gladio bent over and grabbed a couple of plastic shot glasses from his own black duffel before flicking his head to the edge of camp, a friendly smile lighting his hard features. He turned around and sat on the edge, towards the sunset, leaving it up to Jason to decide whether to follow or not.

For several moments, Jason just stood still, contemplating Gladio's broad back against the setting sun. With a plunk, Gladio set the bottle down beside him and it glinted brightly in the orange light, already having poured himself a drink. He lifted one above his shoulder without looking back, clearly for Jason to take.

That decided it. Gladio was trying, and had been for a while, to show Jason he wasn't dangerous. So Jase took a step forward and took the drink, lowering himself onto the edge of the haven and staring out into the sunset. He sniffed at the drink curiously and his mouth immediately watered. It smelled just like Crown Royal. His fucking favorite. He took a small sip and then hummed as the familiar burn slid down his throat, flushing his whole body with warmth. It was a little different from what he was used to, but damn it if it wasn't the best drink he's had in his whole life. So he took the shot, deciding then and there that he was going to let go of his stress, if only for a little bit.

With slow, careful movements, Gladio poured him another shot. A flash of annoyance sparked in Jason at how careful Gladio was being, like Jason was some kind of frightened animal or something, but then had to shake his head at himself. Jason's skittishness was the reason the larger man was acting this way in the first place. Let it go. "You trying to liquor me up, big guy?" Jason joked weakly, sipping at his second drink slowly.

"Hell yeah," Gladio laughed anyway. "How else am I going to get you to loosen up?"

Jason groaned. "That….might take a few more shots."

"Well, the night is young."

"Dunno about that. Once the guys get back, this liquor is going to disappear real quick."

"Tch. You're right about that. Prompto's drinks like a fish for someone his size." Gladio sobered a bit, looking at the countryside seriously. "They aren't coming back tonight. Iggy's getting them a hotel room."

Jason choked on his drink, spluttering. He wasn't sure what he was more alarmed by, the fact that he was stuck with Gladio by himself all night or the fact that he basically just told him that two of the guys he barely knew and had to _share a tent with_ were going to fuck. "Wow," he gasped, trying to hide his own trepidation by pointing out the latter issue. "They're moving kinda quick, aren't they? They just started dating a couple days ago!"

Gladio snorted. "Are you kidding me? They've practically been together since they met! But I wouldn't worry about that. I think Prompto's gunna find it harder than he thought to get that far with Noctis just yet."

Jason cleared his throat roughly, getting rid of the remaining burn in his lungs. "Okay, TMI. I'm _not_ interested in Prompto's sex life."

Gladio smirked, raising a knowing brow. "You sure about that?" Without giving the sputtering, and now flushed, man a moment to respond, he continued. "I asked 'em to stay in town so you and I could talk."

Jason's anxiety spiked a bit. "A-ah. About what?"

Gladiolus gave him a quick glance, long shadows casting his face in stark relief. "I get it, you know? Big, intimidating guy like me gets this a lot." He took a drink, breathing through the burn with a shift of his shoulders. "Some people take one look at me and only see all the ways I can hurt them."

Jason dragged a hand through his hair, grunting in frustration when it tangled. "Look, I don't–it's not–" Jason groaned. "Look, I'm not _afraid_ of you, not really. I know you're not going to jump me or something. I've just. It's been a rough couple weeks." he cringed at that vast understatement. A soft chuckle of agreement from his drinking companion only punctuated the absurdity of it. Jason took another gulp of whiskey and tried again. "I...can't get that first night we met out of my head. It was more–I dunno–real than anything I've ever experienced. And I teach people _self defense_ for a living! All I could think about in that moment was how many different ways I could _break_ you before...well, before you broke me. For the first time in my life I was facing someone who not only could, but _would_ , kill me. Everything since then is just icing on the cake." He stared into his empty shot glass, grimacing at the flood of memories and thankful for the buffer the alcohol was beginning to provide.

Gladiolus held out the bottle and Jason allowed him to pour another drink. With every sip he felt himself relaxing further, slumping against one knee and letting the other dangle over the edge. The sun was disappearing swiftly now, the glowing red orb only a sliver on the horizon. It wouldn't be long before it was too cold to endure without a fire. But Jason couldn't bring himself to care.

Eventually, Gladio began to talk, his low rumble almost soothing to Jason's buzzing mind. "You know, I was practically raised from birth with a sword in my hand. From day one, I knew that someday I would have to fight for the crown, just like every member of my line before me. I knew that I would have to kill in their service." Jason rolled his head to look at Gladio, listening. "I was taught so many ways to break a man, to destroy someone utterly, remorselessly if it meant defending crown and country. But, that's not who I _am_. All of that was so when the time came, I would be able to _protect_." He regarded Jason, gold eyes just catching the last of the day's light. "I'm an Amicitia. A _shield_. You are a part of our group now, Jason, and you'll always be safe with me."

And just like that, the remaining tension in Jason flooded out, leaving him limp and pliant and finally, blessedly, relaxed. Apparently that was all his treacherous body needed to hear to let go of his remaining trepidation. It struck him again just how little he actually knew about those four, every second finding a new depth to their characters than he'd ever considered.

And then with the memories of violence fading into the background, new memories, the ones that Gladio had been layering one after the other, whether intentionally or not, came to light. Safe. Safe like how he felt when Gladio spread his ridiculous wingspan over all of them when they slept, safe like when Gladio stands in front of any danger, taking on the bulk of the fight, or when he sweeps his eyes diligently over the countryside, everwatchful.

And dammit, Jason believed him.

"Gaaaaaaaay," Jason monotoned, cracking a genuine smile. At Gladiolus's blank look he remembered that that wasn't actually a thing here (will the oddities ever cease) and clarified. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to make me fall for you."

The roguish grin he got in response held an ease that hadn't been there before, and it raised Jase's spirits. "Is it working, baby face?"

Jason guffawed, raising his glass in salute. "Heck yeah, it is! I wanna have your babies now, bro."

"That can be arranged." Gladio leered.

Jason coughed, heat flooding his cheeks and burning his chest. "Ah-ha. Thanks, but I think I'll pass. I'm pretty sure Ignis would kill me."

Gladio shrugged. "I doubt it. Knowing Iggy, he'd probably want to watch."

The out of place man slumped dramatically, feeling distinctly that he wasn't drunk enough for this conversation. "I swear to God, all of you are completely insane." He thought maybe it might be another cultural difference, this whole complete disregard for monogamy thing, but frankly he was afraid to ask. Maybe they were just nuts. He shivered as a cold wind cut through his clothes like they weren't there and Gladio grumbled before heaving himself to his feet.

"Help me out with the tent. I don't think either of us have the energy to stay up any longer anyway."

"Aww," Jason complained, noticing that Gladio had swiped the remaining half bottle of liquor away. "We wasted a good buzz on serious talk." Despite his whining though, Jason felt good. Really good. Relaxed and warm and sleepy and–dare he say it–safe.

And when he was forced to cuddle up with Gladio to stay warm, and the larger man threw an arm across his chest, Jason didn't feel a damn thing other than contentment.

-o0o-

AN:

OMG where do I even start with this chapter? Maybe I can tell you about the ridiculous amount of trouble I went through to find out if they actually had bags of peanuts in FFXV universe (three hours of fruitless research) or maybe about my complete disregard for canon (my complete lack of research, or rather, willful ignorance) so I could make Lucius into the world I want it to be.

Or MAYBE I can talk about how much I'm looking forward to having the characters negotiating about their relationship because I _live_ for reading (and now writing) conversations like that! And there will be so much negotiation. So much.

...and Ardyn's fuckery...Noctis embarrassing past!...Gladio's bad flirting!….the red underwear and Iggy's frying pan–!

I just. Loved writing this chapter. It's setting up so much cool stuff for later that I'm psyched.

UPDATE: I made art for Chapter 16 if you wanna check it out #hack. Now working on that scene where Prompto flips everyone off while kissing Noctis ;) Also, Ignis eating a bag of bbq chips. I dunno what I'm gunna do with it, but it's gunna be good. lynxrider


	20. Raid

Jason couldn't get enough air.

He heaved, chest expanding in great, fruitless gulps. His lungs were constricted, and sweat trailed down his bare sides in rivlets, pooling at the fabric just below his waist and at the small of his back only to drip into the dust. Black curls stuck to his forehead and neck uncomfortably, but he didn't even notice, too distracted by the cacophony of signals his body was sending him, skin on fire and heavy, hot ache in every muscle, body shaking with exertion.

Gladio had him pinned.

The larger man straddled Jason with his considerable bulk, hips weighing Jason to the ground mercilessly and large arms on either side of Jason's shoulders, caging him.

Gladiolus smirked, canines glinting smugly. Sweat trickled down his brow, face just as flushed as Jason's, but he looked unfairly composed considering how long they'd been going. Jason scrabbled for purchase on Gladio slick forearms, but to no avail.

Gladio leaned down until they were practically nose to nose, added heat engulfing Jason's already overheated body, and Jason gasped as his heavy weight shifted on him. "Give up yet, baby face?" he growled in a deep, aggressive rumble.

Fire lit in Jason's eyes and a small grin grew on his face, breath abruptly evening out, and Gladio's smile faltered. That was exactly what he'd been waiting for.

 _Earlier that morning._

When Jason woke, he found himself alone.

The sun had already risen. He could tell even before he opened his eyes because the tent was hot as sin. He pried open his dried lids and hissed as his head throbbed with one hell of a hangover. Hnnnnnnnugh. How much did he drink last night? He couldn't quite remember how many times Gladio refilled his glass, to be honest.

Speaking of. Jason's eyes adjusted to the light, head complaining sharply throughout the entire process, and noted its stunning lack of large, tattooed man.

For which he was absurdly grateful.

Jason groaned, both in pain and in embarrassment. He clenched his eyes shut and chuckled a little, running his hand through his hair.

 _You'll always be safe with me._

Ugh. _Ugh._ What the hell was his life, some kind of cheesy drama? But he couldn't deny the flush of warmth in his chest, the distinct lack of the tension he'd had to become accustomed to as of late. Damn Gladio and his smooth lines. Jason should be taking notes or something.

Gladio's deep rumble outside of the tent made Jason jump, a little thrill that had nothing to do with fear for once. He buried his head. Well, this was going to be a tad embarrassing. Especially after they'd practically plastered to each other in their drunken haze the night before.

What was a little cuddling between friends? Guy friends. Adventure bros. Jason cringed.

Whelp. Best to get it over with. Jason was nothing if not completely smooth in awkward situations. Totally.

He shifted himself to a sitting position with considerably more effort than he would normally and waited a good thirty seconds for the tent to stop spinning. What the hell was that stuff last night? Aaaaand where could he get more? Heh. But seriously, he would give anything for Nat's hangover cure. Maybe Gladio could give him a potion or something.

He heaved himself up, ignoring his protesting stomach, and exited the tent with a zip, hand shielding his eyes from the inconsiderately bright morning. "Ugh, Gladio, do you have a something to take the edge off? I don't think my body can handle what you gave me last night–"

Jason stopped abruptly when four pairs of eyes locked on him. His eyes skittered over Gladio's face before taking in the other three men. "Uh. When did you guys get back?"

Ignis, Noctis and Prompto all stood on one side of the dead fire, Gladio on the other. All four were eerily silent, and Jason blinked at the tension he could feel practically crackling through the air like electricity. He blinked, trying to suss out just what it was he was sensing.

Ignis was the first to look away, locking eyes with Gladiolus, a questioning tilt to his brow. They seemed to be having some kind of silent conversation that Jason wasn't privy to. Noctis wasn't quite glaring at Jason, but it was a close thing. And Prompto had this grin on his face, somewhere between amusement and nervousness. He couldn't look Jason in the eye as he shifted between Noctis and Ignis like some kind of jittery pendulum. Gladio gave the movement a pointed look, small smile edging at his lips.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Iggy," he finally said. Inexplicably, Noctis choked and Prompto let out an aborted laugh.

"Yes, you did," Ignis said lightly, though his expression didn't change as such.

Gladio chuckled. "Yeah, I did. Nice." He crossed his arms, brows furrowing a litte. "We good?"

A complicated expression flitted over Ignis' face then, something Jason couldn't even begin to describe. "I should be asking you the same question, I should think." Gladio nodded slowly, considering his shoes as he thought.

Whaaaat was happening? Jason didn't know if it was the hangover or if he was missing some vital detail, but he couldn't make heads or tails of this situation. He flicked his eyes between the two men as if watching a tennis match, volleys of expressions that he couldn't decipher passing between them. Noctis and Prompto were watching just as avidly, standing close together as if they were waiting for something.

Gladio's face broke out into a grin. "You and me, Iggy? We're always good."

The little knot of tension between Ignis' brows released, and he pushed up his glasses with a nod. Then he took this little half step back, Gladio doing the same towards the tent until there was a distinct vibe of 'us' and 'them' going on, Prompto, Noctis and Ignis on one side, Gladio and Jason on the other.

Prompto and Noctis' face fell. "Wait, are we not going to talk about this? I really think we need to talk about this," Prompto said nervously.

"And we will," Ignis said, placing a calming hand on Prompto's shoulder. "But right now, the Marshall is waiting for us."

Prompto looked a little relieved, Noctis looked a little dismayed, and Jason was _a little too hungover to deal with this._

"Ah, hate to interrupt this...whatever. But I could really use a remedy right about now."

Gladio snorted, and the tension popped like a bubble as sanity resumed its regularly scheduled program. "Lightweight," he jabbed.

"Juicer," Jason quipped right back. Gladio's golds flashed with surprise that Jason was joking with him and he laughed, all sharp canines and crinkled eyes.

Ignis sighed. "I suppose you drank the whole bottle, then?"

"Half," Jason agreed with a grimace.

"Wait, what! You had alcohol this whole time?" Prompto said indignantly.

Gladio scratched his head, looking to the sky innocently. "I don't know what your talking about."

"How are you completely fine?" Jason glared at the larger man accusingly, then finished with a pained whimper, "I think I'm still a little drunk."

"You might have had just a smidge more than me."

"Bastard. You actually were trying to liquor me up."

"Um, guys? It's great to see that you're getting along better but, _why did no one tell me there was alcohol?"_ Prompto whined.

"Let me reiterate. _Hungover._ Where's the _humanity_ _?_ I'm dying over here!"

"I'll just start breakfast, then, shall I?" Ignis said with all the longsuffering resignation of a man accustomed to dealing with demanding people.

Jason smiled, relieved. "Thanks, Ignis, you're a–" he paused, eyes widening as Ignis turned to set up the camp table. He walked between Prompto and Noctis, placing a light hand on both of their shoulders as he passed, and Prompto and Noctis' face exploded with identical flushes, both sets of eyes glued onto Ignis' back as he bent over to pick up the table from the pile camping equipment. "...saint," he finished weakly.

Before he could figure out what the hell he just witnessed, Gladio elbowed him lightly in the arm. "Hey. We've got fuel now and we'll be heading out to meet up with Cor soon. You mentioned you were a self-defense trainer last night?"

Jason blinked, rapidly shifting gears. That's right, the raid. That would be happening now. "Yeah," he said. "I help run an MMA gym."

"MMA?"

"Mixed martial arts, Haganah, Taekwondo, Jujitsu–" he stopped when he saw the complete lack of understanding on Gladio's face. Right. Different world. "We train to fight, among other things."

Gladio nodded. "I've seen you fight. But this ain't gonna be easy. You think you'd be up for a spar after breakfast?"

Jason grimaced, a little queasy at the prospect, and his head chose that moment to give a sharp throb. "Was that your plan all along? Get me wasted so you could pummel me the next day? Not very chivalrous, sir shield."

"Ha! Don't you worry, Iggy will fix you right up."

Jason considered. He'd assumed that they would leave him behind for the raid, like they had been doing pretty much the whole time. Gladio responded to his unspoken question.

"Our lives are going to be pretty dangerous now. We won't be able to protect you all the time, and you don't seem like you need a babysitter, in any case. You travel with us, I need to know you can pull your weight."

"...Fair enough," Jason said. "Alright, you're on."

"That's what I like to hear."

Jason and Gladio set up the chairs while Ignis stood over the camp table, making something simple. Prompto and Noctis hovered around him, just as they had the day before. But. There was something different about it. Noctis was smiling just a little too big, and Prompto had this bright look in his eyes. Jason would have just assumed they'd slept together last night, but the way they were interacting with Ignis set off alarm signals in Jason's head. He narrowed his eyes, trying to suss out what had changed between the three men when he was distracted by Gladio's voice.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Jason's eyes focused on Gladio's face, the man standing beside him with his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. A look that would have startled Jason only the day before, but now. It just. Didn't. He blinked, leaning away a little. "Um." He looked to the ground where he'd been about to seat himself, since they'd still not purchased another camp chair. Gladio rolled his eyes and poked him in the chest, pushing him off balance and sending him tumbling into a chair instead. Before Jason could so much as peep in protest, the big man was handing him a tin of water and falling into the seat beside him. "Drink. You're going to need it."

Jason grumbled, sipping at his drink and wondering just when he'd gotten used to being pushed around like this.

Noctis and Prompto walked around the table with plates in their hands, Noctis not even glancing Jason's direction before sitting in his usual seat. Prompto looked around and smirked at Jason, throwing him a wink before promptly sitting in his boyfriend's lap and taking a huge bite of Noctis' sandwich. Noctis made a show of grumbling, but it didn't stop him from wrapping an arm around the blond's waist.

"Try to behave, boys," Ignis drawled with barely a glance in their direction, and both men grinned in response. Prompto leaned over and whispered something to Noctis and the prince's blush grew crimson, abruptly shoving Prompto's face away. The blond just laughed, holding onto him tighter.

"Okaaaay?" Jason said to himself. Gladio coughed out muffled a laugh beside him, but didn't comment. Jason resolved to ask Prompto about it later. Must have been one hell of a night.

On second thought, maybe Jason didn't want to know.

A few minutes later, Ignis brought three plates over, balancing them as expertly as any waiter, and handed two to Gladio and Jason. Jason took his with a grateful smile and with a flourish, Ignis summoned a little green bottle and handed it over as well. "An antidote. It should take care of the remaining alcohol in your system."

"Thanks." Jason hummed as he crushed it, cool magic rushing through his body and providing instant relief. His world had nothing on this magic business. This would have come in handy so many times in his life...Then again, drinking without any consequences. Yeah. What a way to get into trouble.

A half hour later, Jason and Gladio faced off in a wide swath of empty sand, shirts and armour removed and hands empty. Jason only had a moment to prepare mentally before the fight was on, the other three men watching from the edge of the haven, their shouts of encouragement echoing in the desert wind.

Jason felt the second Gladio's weight shifted _just so_ and pounced, dropping his defeated act and hooking his arm around one of Gladio's massive forearms. Digging his heels into the ground, he pistoned his hips up. Hard.

Jason relished the look of utter surprise on Gladio's face as he fumbled and failed to catch himself, hand trapped, and tumbled to the side, Jason rolling with him in a flurry of dust. Now he was in between Gladio's legs, pinning the man beneath him.

Gladio immediately tightened his legs around Jason's middle, trying to lock Jason in with his considerable strength, but the other man was too quick. Jason jabbed his elbows into the soft flesh of Gladiolus' inner thighs and when the grip loosened with a grunt of pain, he feinted a heavy punch to the bigger man's groin. When Gladio flinched predictably, Jason slipped out and backed up several paces, hands at the ready beneath his chin and stance light.

Gladio sat up on his elbows, chest heaving and the two stared each other down. It was another impasse, one of several that had happened in the last few rounds. Every time Gladio thought he'd had Jason, the man would slip away, and at times when Jason tried to use his usual tactics, Gladiolus surprised him with something he'd never seen before, fighting with a style foreign to him. Without Gladio's weapon's and magic, they found themselves surprisingly matched in hand to hand.

"That was a dirty trick," Gladio commented, but it was without heat. There was this little grin growing on Gladio's face, a glint of respect in his eye that had Jason shifting his weight, smiling back a little.

A loud whooping broke the moment, Prompto jumping up and down on top of the haven. Noctis and Ignis watched silently, in projected boredom and contemplation, respectively.

Jason ignored the peanut gallery and held out his hand to help Gladio to his feet. He groaned beneath the larger man's weight as Gladio took it, body protesting loudly from all the bruises and abrasions on every inch of him. They'd been going at it for a good fifteen minutes with only short breaks between rounds, trading blow for blow before Gladio finally pinned him.

Jason was pretty sure he'd gotten the brunt of the damage. Gladio was a freaking beast.

"Not bad," Gladio commented, brushing off his shoulders.

Jason snorted. He held his own, but only just. Gladio had significantly more strength, but Jason was accustomed to fighting people stronger than him. He'd only filled out in the last couple years after all, and he used to be a skinny little shit. Now he was intensely grateful for his punishing workout routine he'd been doing religiously since he hit twenty. Speaking of, he'd better get back on that. Interdimensional kidnapping tended to mess with one's schedule. "Thanks," he said dryly, rolling his shoulders to gain feeling back in his limbs. He breathed deeply, trying to calm down, exhausted.

"Now if you just had magic, we could go at this for real."

Jason raised a brow. "Is that how you swing that big freaking sword around?"

Gladio grinned. "You know it. Noctis' power gives us strength to do a lot of things. In any case, this raid should be no problem. Just have Iggy cast a shield on you, and you'll be fine."

"Great," Jason drawled. "You know, for once I don't think I'd mind being thought less of." Still, despite his nervousness at fighting in another battle, he couldn't help but preen at Gladio's confidence. It really was something to be acknowledged by someone like him.

Gladio just patted him on the shoulder, shaking dust out of his hair as he walked back to the campsite.

"Dude! That was amazing! Why didn't you tell us you could fight like that?" Prompto greeted as they got back. Gladio tossed Jason a wet rag and the man wiped down his face and torso gratefully.

"You didn't ask," he said, cringing a little as he swiped over a fresh abrasion. He strained his shoulder, trying to get at his back, when Prompto stole the rag from him and did it for him casually, as if it were commonplace. Jason jumped a little at the overly familiar touch, but Prompto chattered on, oblivious.

Jason shuddered at the smooth drag of cloth across his skin, cooling his shoulders and soothing his burns. It was weird that Prompto just...did it. But maybe it was commonplace in this world? He decided not to think anything of it, even if he was driven to distraction by the firm swipe of Prompto's hands across his lower back.

"Yeah, but! Here I thought you were just an average guy and then you throw Gladio around like he's nothing! And that leg swipe thing! You gotta show me how to do that!"

"Um. Yeah, sure…"

"Sure, he can fight without magic," Noctis interjected, "but if that were a real fight he would have been dead." Jason's brow twitched in annoyance. That wasn't quite fair. Now that he knew what to expect from the MTs, he rather thought he could handle himself. Especially since he was getting the hang of his new gear. He frowned at Noctis, seeing a similar expression on the prince's face.

"He's better than Prompto," Gladiolus said matter-of-fact, dismissing Noctis' statement easily ("Hey!" Prompto protested). "And he could fight with magic if you inducted him into your house."

"No," Jason and Noctis said at the same time. The two men stared at each other for a second, Noctis' face inscrutable, before Jason said, "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather take my chances with the gear Cor gave me and the abilities not linked to Noctis' _life force_. Not gonna lie, this magic stuff kinda freaks me out." Also, he was pretty sure he had to commit his life to the crown or something if he wanted to have that power. No thanks. He'd help, but he wasn't going to become a life-long bodygaurd of His Broodiness, thankyouverymuch.

"Yeah, not happening," Noctis agreed, for reasons of his own. Jason could guess, judging by the surely look on his face. They'd called a truce, sure, but things still weren't easy between them. Before things could get too uncomfortable, Ignis cleared his throat pointedly.

"Then you're going to need this," Ignis said, handing over a belt with a metal pocket on it big enough for several potions. Jason's knives were already attached to it and Jason slipped it around his waist before pulling his shirt back on.

"Great, can you guys help me break this camp down, now? We need to get a move on. Iris is waiting for us and we've got a long way to go."

An hour later saw the five of them back at the gas station where they'd left the Regalia. Refueled and resupplied, they were ready to go. After some shuffling around, they found a comfortable arrangement. Due to Jason's size, there was no way he was going to fit in the back seat comfortably, so he traded spots with Prompto, hearing no protests from the cheerful blond who seemed perfectly content wedged in between Gladio and Noctis.

As the desert wind whipped around him, the scenery flying by leisurely, Jason closed his eyes and allowed himself to focus on the familiarity of the sensation, the rocking of the vehicle. For a little while, he could almost pretend that he was catching a ride from his friends. Yeah, that sounded nice. If he really tried, he could even pretend Gladio's rumble was Toby, complaining about the heat. Or Prompto's chatter was Lydia talking about her latest artwork. Or that instead of Ignis, Nat was at the wheel, humming along to whatever horrible pop song was popular at the moment...Nice, normal stuff. That he wasn't going to a warzone to slaughter a bunch of genetically manipulated clones.

Urgh. Okay. Nice fantasy officially gone.

With a sigh, he turned his thoughts to a more pressing matter. He needed to tell the guys about Ardyn. And outline what he remembered from the game. Even with the vaguest of timelines he could give them, a great deal of trouble could be avoided completely, and some events changed for the better. So, easy enough, he just needed a list of things he could change by telling them about it, or at least make it better.

The most important thing first: the ten years of darkness.

That. That was a thing that _could not happen_ if Jason wanted to change this story into a happy one. And he kind of did, since he was living it now. Honestly, even though the game ended with Noctis ending his life to bring back the light, he couldn't help but wonder what the point was. After ten years of darkness and daemon rule, most of the population of the world was _dead_ _._ There was no way around that, and even if it was never explicitly shown. So, to most people Noctis' ascension and sacrifice meant nothing at all.

Talk about depressing.

On a lighter note, there were some things that could be avoided that would save these people a good deal of grief. Luna's death for one. Regardless of whether Noctis loved her more than a sister in the end, everyone was torn apart by her death. He was still kinda iffy on how they could accomplish that, since apparently her life-force was being drained by awakening the Astrals way before Ardyn got to her. Or something. He wasn't quite sure on that part since the last few chapters of the game made, like, no sense. Tch. Circuitus Japanese plots. But Jason digressed. He would just have to tell them what happened and leave the figuring out business to greater minds than his.

Speaking of greater minds, the second thing he would definitely try to avoid is Ignis' blindness. That part might actually end up being even trickier for one very important reason: Jason never got around to playing Ignis' DLC, and he honestly had no freaking clue how Ignis lost his sight in the first place. All he knew was that Ignis somehow ended up with the Ring of Lucii.

Maybe they should just avoid Altissia altogether. It was a thought. But again, Jason just didn't have the knowledge to get from point A to point B, and in the end, it probably wouldn't be his call. He wasn't from this world after all. It wasn't his kingdom to save.

...Even if he was trapped here. Jason frowned, resting his head against his arm over the edge of the door, watching idly as the countryside flew by.

There were other things too, like Prompto's unfortunate discovery of his origins. But honestly, even though it pained him to admit it, it was rather low on his priority list. He didn't want to put Prompto through that, but fuck him, he didn't want to tell him either. And...if he recalled correctly, Prompto actually ends up preventing a huge catastrophe by destroying his original's weapon of mass destruction. Just another thing to add to the list.

There was also the matter of Ardyn himself.

 _The game has changed._

Jason still didn't know what he meant by that. Is it because Ardyn saw him that he changed his plans? Or was it something else? Jason wasn't the most proficient when it comes to remembering details, but he did finally remember that the first time the guys met Ardyn was at Galdin Quay, not at Keycatrich. Did that mean that the events of the game were already changed from what they were before? If so, how much? Jason had no way of telling until things started to come to pass. Maybe nothing he did would amount to anything because what he knew of the game was completely out the window!

And Ardyn had fucked with Ignis and Gladio's memories, so trying to explain anything to them will be that much harder since they wouldn't even remember him. Jason grit his teeth, phantom sensations of Ardyn's corruption burning his skin, the sleazy tilt of his tainted smile, the ache of grip digging into his arm and that feeling of utter helplessness, weak–

"Tch!" He didn't want to think about it. There was something though, something big he felt like he was missing, but what? It dug at him, niggled insistently in the back of his mind. If he could just–

"–son. Jason!"

Jason came out of his thoughts abruptly, his surroundings finally intruding in a rush of light and sound. His hands ached dully and he realized with a grimace that he'd been clenching his fingers harshly around the edges of the car door. He released them with a wince, sitting back upright and flexing them slowly, allowing his erratic heartbeat to slow.

"Are you quite alright?" Ignis asked, glancing at the man out of the corner of his eye, both hands still firmly placed on the wheel.

"I…" No. No, he wasn't. There was too much pressure on him, too much stress to make all of this right. It wasn't like he had to do any of it alone, but...Jason looked into the back seat, noticing for the first time that Prompto's chatter had ceased. Prompto and Noctis were out cold, the blond snoozing against Gladio's side and Noctis passed out against the door frame. Gladio had his arm casually thrown out on the seat behind Prompto and another held his book upright, though his gold eyes met Jason's with a lifted brow when he looked. Jason swallowed, and Gladio lowered his book with a frown. Honestly, at the moment, these four didn't look like the saviors of anything, any more than Jason himself did.

"Jason?" Ignis prompted.

Jason bit his lip. Were they even ready to listen to him now? Ardyn's interference aside, did they trust him enough now to actually believe him when he told them what he knew? Prompto would, he was pretty sure about that. He already kind of told him about Ardyn and the man believed him easily enough. Ignis would need convincing, but at least he was a little more open than Noctis, who, although he no longer looked at Jason with outright loathing, didn't exactly like him either. Gladio...Jason thought about how the man reacted right after Ardyn left. He'd–well, he hadn't really seemed to believe him, but he did seem willing to listen. And with their talk the night before then. Maybe.

That's fifty-fifty, then. Those odds weren't great. But what choice did he have? The longer he deliberated, the closer they were to the very tragedies he was trying to avoid. He took a deep, bracing breath. "After we make it through the blockade...I need to talk to you guys about the future."

Ignis didn't take his eyes from the road, but the corner of his mouth creased in a frown. "What do you mean by that, precisely?"

"I mean, I'm going to tell you everything I know. And then we're going to make sure that none of it ever happens."

Jason didn't look up from his hands, clenched loosely in his lap. He didn't want to see the looks of doubt on their faces. He was already discouraged enough as it was with the monumental task before him.

"Alright." Jason's head snapped up to face Ignis, surprised. Ignis elaborated. "I don't know by whom you were sent or why, but someone out there granted you a great deal of power and knowledge, and we would be fools to ignore it."

"Yeah," Gladiolus agreed. "But we need to focus on one thing at a time. Right now, that means getting through this blockade."

"Agreed. And sooner rather than later. We've arrived."

Ignis pulled over. A wall of sandstone stood to their left and the plains of Liede spread out to the right. The road bent around the wall, leaving whatever lay behind it out of sight. It didn't look familiar to Jason, but then again, little did these days.

Jason got out of the car and lifted his arms above his head, stretching until his spine popped. A whole new anxiety settled into his stomach uncomfortably and he winced, only paying the barest of attention to Prompto's whine when Gladio woke him, trying to get his head in the game. This was the real world now, and he needed to put everything he had into this or he might end up dead. For real. Cheery thought. He flexed his forearms, adjusting the straps on his enhanced armor one last time before turning and following the four men into a crevice in the rock.

Cor waited for them there, standing against the stone wall with the same look he always seemed to have; that patented 'I don't have time for your shit' scowl. He gave a cursory glance to all of them before cutting straight to the point.

"Good, you're here. We've got about thirty MTs patrolling out front. Noctis, you're with me. The rest of you, distraction tactics. Take out as many as you can while we handle the troops inside."

"Oh, hello Cor, it's so good to see you alive," Jason drawled sarcastically. "We're doing well, thanks for asking." Gladio dropped a heavy hand onto Jason's head, bowing it and ruffling his hair roughly while Prompto let out a startled laugh. "Urgh!"

"Show some respect, would'ya?" Gladio said lightly before facing Cor, expression serious. "We'll take care of them, sir."

Cor nodded, not even raising a brow at Jason's weak attempts to shake Gladio off. "Good," he said shortly. "Don't get killed." With that, the Marshall about faced and headed into a small crevice in the rock.

Noctis sighed. "Well, I guess I'll see you guys in a bit. Try not to have too much fun without me." He headed for the crevice as well, and was about to push through when Jason had a thought.

"Wait, hold up!" He dislodged Gladio's hand, gripping the larger man's wrist while he shoved back his hair. "All the enemies should be MTs in there, but once you get the gate open, some asshole in a mech shows up."

Noctis barely acknowledged him, waving over his shoulder before squeezing in after Cor. "Noted."

A pause. "He didn't believe me, did he?"

"Hm, I'm gunna say no."

"Focus, gentlemen. We can worry about the possible future after we complete the task at hand."

"Speaking of hands," Gladio said pointedly, shaking his wrist. "You planning on giving mine back?"

Jason scowled. "That depends. You going to mess with my hair again?" Gladio only grinned.

"Uuuh, guys? I think Iggy's leaving us behind."

True to Prompto's word, Ignis was indeed pulling ahead. Jason let go of Gladio and the three hastened to catch up. Once Ignis reached the bend, he held up a hand, poising a finger over his lips to indicate silence. The three of them froze, Gladio summoning his great sword with a quiet grunt.

"Alright," Ignis said quietly, pulling back around the bend and facing the other three. "Thirty, as Cor said. Prompto, there's a shielded spot about ten metres to our left that will provide sufficient cover. Take out the riflemen on the wall. I see seven, but there may be more." Prompto nodded. "The rest are axemen and should be easy enough to take out." He walked up to Jason and placed his hand on his chest. Jason gasped as a prickling heat spread through his body, setting his nerves on fire. It faded after a few seconds, and Jason recognized it as the shield spell Ignis had used on him before. "This spell only lasts about ten minutes. The second it wears off, find cover and stay down."

Jason gulped and nodded, quailing a bit under Ignis' glare. He got the feeling the man wouldn't take it lightly if he broke his orders again. But, hey, that was cool, Jason had no desire to break them. He wanted to live!

"Whelp, time's a-wastin'. Let's make some noise." With a roar, Gladio hefted his sword and burst from cover, Ignis and Prompto hot on his heels.

A sharp burst of adrenaline, almost like the kind Jason felt at the start of a race or the beginning of a competition, had Jason sprinting to catch up, taking his place beside Ignis, Gladio at the point. Heart pounding somewhere in the vicinity of his throat, he examined the battlefield in the few seconds he had before they ran into trouble.

A man-made wall stood between two natural ones, a smaller version of the gate Jason saw when he infiltrated the base with Cor. More importantly though were the hoard of MTs they were bowling towards.

A few paces in, and Prompto peeled off to take cover behind some crates, the percussions of his gun echoing harshly off the canyon. He whooped as one, then two MTs went down, but then Jason had no more time to pay attention to what others were doing, because the hoard was upon them.

They came at the three charging men in an arch, bunched together with their axes tight to their sides and gaits unnatural. With a roar, Gladio sprang forward and spun, crashing through them with inhuman strength, his sword sending MTs flying. Soon enough, he'd cut a swath through them, effectively breaking through to the other side and splitting the hoard in half.

Jason was vaguely aware of Ignis splitting off to battle the group on the right, but he only had eyes for the four troops that had escaped Gladio's initial attack and were coming after him. He felt focused, and though he was afraid he was no longer drowning in it, reassured by his past experiences with the drones and the support of Ignis' magic. They were dangerous, sure, but dumb as bricks, and moved clumsily. Jason was half convinced that the only reason Niffleheim could claim victory in any battle was sheer numbers. Jason backpedaled, hands at the ready, drawing the first one in.

Predictably, it charged in blindly. It had its hands by it's sides, leaving its head completely–foolishly–unprotected. Jason continued his retreat, slower than its advance, waiting for it to catch up. Even when it raised its axe to swing, Jason only had to stop abruptly to bring it in range, swinging his fist into–and through–its head, shattering it as easily as popping a water balloon.

Jason didn't allow himself to get distracted by the horror this time, having already learned his lesson–painfully. Adrenaline pumped through him, banishing his conscious thoughts with a steady rush pulsing at the pace of his frantic heartbeat. The other three were upon him, but each were just as clumsy as the first, awkward and puppet-like in their armors. It was easy enough for Jason to find openings, redirecting their attacks and sending them stumbling into each other before breaking their limbs with crushing force to take them out of the fight. Jason never appreciated just how useless these low level MTs were in the game. Now that he was more collected, it really wasn't that big of a deal. Compared to the fighters he was accustomed to training with, these were practically children.

Jason grimaced through his harsh breaths at the comparison. _They're just daemons, now, just daemons,_ he chanted to himself. He grunted in pain when three hits, like punches, struck him in succession on his shoulder, stomach and thigh. He spun around, the areas buzzing with magic but already he could feel the bruises spreading beneath his skin. Focus! He'd taken out the four behind him, two dead and two flailing uselessly with broken legs, but two more axemen and a rifleman were headed his way. Crap! He had no way to deal with the long range fighter!

"Jase, look out!" With an ear shattering bang Prompto was at his side, spraying the three with bullets. The MTs stumbled, but didn't stop their advance. "Crap, outta ammo! Gimme two seconds!"

"I got you," Jason shouted, bursting forward to cover Prompto while he reloaded. Two more shots slammed into his chest, but he bore them with only a grimace of pain and slight stumble, focusing instead on getting into range.

Just as before, the two axemen were as easy to take out as if they had no combat training at all, and by the time Jason had finished with them, Prompto was beside him, taking out the last rifleman with two well placed shots to the head. The two breathed heavily as they scanned the battlefield for any more threats. With none forthcoming, Prompto turned towards Jason and grinned, laughing giddily.

Jason swayed where he stood, a little dizzy as his adrenaline fizzled out, and smiled. His lungs ached, and he knew he'd be feeling those hits he took later with a vengeance. He spotted Gladio and Ignis making their way towards them, but grunted when Prompto elbowed him in the side.

"Dude! You were awesome! Seriously, how'd you learn to move like that!?"

"Urh, Prompto, watch it. I'm pretty sure one of those bullets cracked a rib…" Jason winced. A rush of tingling down his body announced the dispelling of his shield and left him aching. Man, did all that really only take less than ten minutes? He was _exhausted._

"Well, that didn't last long," Gladio said, sauntering up with his sword resting on his shoulder. "I'm barely warmed up." He sounded almost disappointed. But a teasing look at Jason's swaying form told the other man that he was joking at his expense.

"Fuck you, Gladio," Jason said, trying his best to even out his breathing as Gladio laughed.

Ignis pushed up his glasses, allowing his daggers to dissipate. "Is everyone alright?"

"All good here," Prompto said brightly. He pulled Jason into his side with an arm around his shoulder. "This guy took some hits though." Jason was honestly too damn tired to resist, so he just used Prompto as a pillar. He smiled when the smaller man grunted under his weight.

"I'm fine, just bruised," Jason waved away Ignis' concern.

Ignis nodded in acknowledgement. "You did well, all things considered. We may need to invest in some armor for you so you don't have to rely on my magic to defend yourself."

"Yeah, wouldn't want to take a hit if we're caught by surprise," Gladio agreed.

Jason grimaced. "Armor? As in, metal plating or something? That would just slow me down…"

"Regardless, it is better than nothing. Without Noctis' magic, you are vulnerable."

Jason sighed, resigned. He didn't like it, but he liked the idea of joining Noctis' house even less. It was either that, or risk getting shot for real at an inopportune moment. Ignis wouldn't always be able to cast on him before a fight. His gaze was drawn to one of the fallen MTs and he shuddered. Hopefully they could find something that didn't look like that.

As if reading Jason's thoughts, Ignis elaborated. "Not to worry. There is plenty of gear that is imbued with protection magic, such as the Hunters' uniforms. We just need to gather enough funds–"

A low rumbling and a whirring of machinery interrupted their conversation and they turned to watch as the gates ground open. Noctis and Cor strode towards them and the four of them picked their way through the fallen MTs to meet in the middle.

"Yo," Noctis called once they were in earshot. "Looks like you guys cleaned up."

"What'd you expect?" Gladiolus scoffed. Noctis' eyes flickered to Jason with a small frown, which Jason chose not to interpret as surprise he was still alive. He ignored it, choosing instead to scan the skies for the engine he knew was coming.

Noctis responded, but Jason was no longer listening. Instead, he leaned towards Prompto and placed a hand on his shoulder, lowering his voice. Prompto turned to him with a questioning noise. "When that mech gets here, I'm going to try and stop time. I want you to get to the pilot before the three minutes are up, okay?"

Prompto's face brightened. "Oh, yeah! I forgot you could do that! Yeah, sure, I think I can manage."

"What are you guys whispering about?" Noctis said, drawing the two back into the conversation with a suspicious scowl.

A low rumble filled the air, and Jason's head jerked up. "That." He pointed to the sky, and sure enough, a ship was coming their way. Eyes widening slightly, the prince spotted the giant hulking flying machine and threw Jason a startled look. Jason smirked and raised his shoulders in a shrug. "It's all yours, your Highness," and then he beat a quick retreat behind one of the large containers surrounding the field. No way was he going to try and take down a freaking mech. Normal guy, here. Not happening.

"Wait, Jase! When are you going to do the thing?" Prompto called.

"Just get in close! Trust me, you'll know when!"

"What is he talking about–" Noctis started waspishly, but he was interrupted by an obnoxious monologue from the ship, which hovered just above them now, ready to drop its payload.

" _Well, well, well, if it isn't Cor the Immortal…"_

Jason stopped listening, focusing inward and leaning back against the giant shipping container out of sight. He would only get one shot at this. Hopefully, they would come out the other side with one Niff in custody and a wealth of information for Cor. He thought of the idea when he'd remembered the mech attack, or rather, who was in it. Not the name, just that it was some dumb manchild who was apparently important enough to command troops. No use in killing him when they could make use of his knowledge. He just had to time it right, and the rest would be up to Prompto. Now, he needed a good vantage point where he could watch without getting in the way...Jason eyed the corner of the shipping container, spotting small indentations laddering up to the top. With a steadying breath, he wedged his fingers into the first one and began to climb.

In the time it took him to make it to the top, the mech had descended and the fight was in full swing. Blasts shook the ground and the air, nearly knocking Jason from his perch a couple times, but he managed to pull himself over without incident. The sight of the five men fighting the mech was just as chaotic as Jason remembered from the game, and he half wondered how they weren't getting in each other's way. But he had a job to do, so his gaze sharpened on Prompto, waiting for the man to be in an ideal position, idly tapping his finger so his ability didn't kick in before he wanted it to.

An entire minute passed as Jason waited, ignoring the man's echoing taunts and blocking out the guys' grunts and roars as they hacked away at him. His heart pounded and his fingers tingled as he jittered in place. And...there! Prompto was close, only about ten metres away, and the mech stumbled as Cor swung mightily at it's knee joint, putting the cockpit close to the ground. Fighting back the frantic shaking of his body, Jason froze as well as he was able, body buzzing with the exertion of holding still. He gripped his hands harshly between his knees and hunched over. A split second later, the world grayed, the pull of magic in Jason's stomach a distant ache as he watched with wide eyes.

Prompto jerked to a stop, looking around before whooping loudly, making for the mech.

Jason smiled, letting the white noise settle around him almost comfortingly. Yeah. He wasn't completely useless. At least this one ability didn't seem to have any horrible consequences. He watched almost fondly as Prompto scurried his way up the side of the mech, blasting it open with his gun and leaning over to get inside.

Jason eyed the diminishing timer, which looked more like a blurred out bar than the sharp graphics he was used to, just as the rest of the menu. But he hardly cared at the moment, just relieved that he could do it at all. Yeah. Still plenty of time. He wished he could hold it longer. Ardyn didn't seem to be limited by a timer–

Jason's smile froze on his face before falling slowly, eyes widening in shock. The rest of the world faded to nothing as he re-examined the interaction with Ardyn, some things finally clicking into place. His heart leapt and he let out a strangled sound of realization.

Ardyn. Could stop time. Like him. And not just like him. _Exactly the same_ as him.

His breath started coming shorter, a sharp ache in the back of his throat as he stared unseeingly forward.

The game has changed.

The game…

The GAME.

"Oh shit," Jason gasped. How had he been so blind? He should have realized immediately–but how? Was Ardyn somehow aware this was a game? Did he know what Jason was? But–but he'd called Jason a Messenger. It didn't make any sense– Unless, whatever force that had manipulated others into thinking Jason was a Messenger fooled Ardyn as well.

Whatever the case, one thing was certain. Ardyn wasn't following the script like everyone else in this universe and he seemed to have the same abilities as Jason. Which meant that Jason's knowledge of the future might mean jack shit. This was _so much worse_ than he thought.

Time started flowing normally again, and he could hear startled shouts and whooping, but he hardly noticed, frantic thoughts numbing him to all else.

He'd thought he would be able to change the future of this world just by telling the guys what he knew. But now Jason and his mysterious benefactor weren't the only players anymore. _If I'd ever even been a player in the first place,_ he thought angrily. He got the feeling he was just a pawn in a game of chess between Ardyn and the one who brought him to this world.

Great. Just freaking great. Did Jason have control over _anything?_

"Jason! Where you at, man? We won!"

Jason flinched, jerking out of his thoughts forcefully. He swallowed, throat completely dry as he shook himself from his crouched position. He walked to the edge of the crate and smiled weakly down at the guys. They stood in a group in the center of the field, the mech slouched uselessly beside them. A young looking man was sprawled at their feet, hands up in surrender and looking ridiculously small in his oversized armor. Gladio's boot was on his chest and the kid looked about ready to piss his pants.

Jason let out a sigh of relief. At least this one thing worked out. He had no doubt Cor could make use of the information from this guy. When Prompto caught sight of him, his face lit up like the sun, waving enthusiastically. The rest of them just looked stunned, clearly not sure what just happened. Well, the three younger men did. Cor just glared at Jason in his usual grumpy way.

By the time Jason had climbed down and joined the rest of them, he was just ready for this freaking day to be over. Fatigue pulled at him, just as it did everytime he used his abilities. That on top of sparring with Gladio that morning and the battle with the MTs? Done. But it was barely four in the afternoon and it felt like the rest of the day stretched endlessly on before him.

Cor was the first to speak, surprisingly. "This your doing, Messenger boy?" he drawled, gesturing to the kid on the ground. Jason looked at the captured man with disinterest, barely taking in his terrified face before nodding.

"Yeah. Thought he'd be more useful to you alive than dead."

The kid's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. Smart. There was no way he could survive getting out of this now. He was done.

"And me!" Prompto interjected insistently, leaning an elbow on Jason's shoulder and crossing his leg smugly. Jason flicked him in the forehead, smiling a little when he flinched back with a protest.

"Prompto too."

"How?" Noctis demanded. Ignis and Gladio looked just as invested in that answer, if more politely so.

"By stopping time," Cor answered for him, much to Jason's surprise.

"Oh, so now you believe me," Jason said, and Cor smirked.

"I wouldn't go that far."

Jason could see a million more questions on the tip of everyone's tongues, so he held up a hand to forstall them. "Sorry, guys, I'll tell you about it later. I've got something you all need to know." He glanced down at the fallen Niff, hesitating. "Erm. Ignis, can you…?" He gestured.

"Certainly."

The man's eyes widened. "W-wait, are you going to–" Ignis placed a palm on his forehead.

"Sleep." The man fell limp.

Jason gaped. Wow. Not what he was expecting. He sent a fearful look Ignis' way and was gratified to see that he wasn't the only one. Ignis adjusted his glasses, clearing his throat pointedly for Jason to continue.

"R-right." Jason stuttered. He sobered. "We've got a problem. Ardyn Izunia, Chancellor of Niflheim...he might be a player."

-o0o-

AN:

Okay, not gonna lie, I thought the conversation was going to happen this chapter. But it was getting way too freaking long and if I didn't post now, it would be like another two weeks. You're welcome ;)

So whooo dog, so much happened in this chapter. Jeezus. If you want to know exactly what happened at the hotel, read my oneshot 'I want you to want me'. If you don't, no big, they talk about it later.

Ardyn...what are you up to? This is where the canon really starts to diverge, so hold onto your tits guys. It's going to be fun.

Hey, if you like this, hit me up. I need some love after the shitty week I've had. See you crazy kids next time!

Next Chapter: The implications of Ardyn's apparent duplicity puts a wrench in Jason's plans. Also he somehow has to explain this to Cor. Good luck.


	21. The Future

Jason caught himself wringing his hands, and he forcefully stilled them, leaving them to fall limply to his sides. His words hung in the air, but although they filled him with dread, he received little in the way of reactions from the guys and Cor.

"And by 'player' you mean…?" Ignis prompted, and Jason realized he was only receiving blank stares for his anxiety.

Er. Right. Ignis and Gladio didn't remember the altercation in the canyon, and he doubted Noctis even knew who Ardyn was. And Cor thought he was a damn Messenger still, if he even believed that.

This might take a while. Before Jason could decide what to say next, though, a phone began chirping.

Cor shifted, digging his phone out of his pocket and lifting it to his ear. "What is it?" He said gruffly. He listened for a few seconds, Jason fidgeting anxiously but not quite willing to interrupt. "Alright. On my way." He turned to Noctis. "I have to get back to watching the Nifs. Keep me posted on your progress and I'll see what help I can send your way.

"Right," Noctis agreed, wrenching his eyes away from Jason. "Stay safe out there."

"Likewise." Cor bent over to pick up the sleeping man, and Jason panicked. He couldn't leave, Jason had to warn him!

"Wait, what? You can't leave yet, I have to tell you–"

Cor glared, and Jason choked on his words. He looked every bit the intimidating man who had forced Jason to accompany him, who had held him effortlessly against a wall and threatened his life, and Jason was brutally reminded who he was dealing with. This wasn't a man who would accept orders from anyone, and Jason had just come very close to giving him an order. "Kid, do I look like I have all day? I have to make it halfway across the country in forty eight hours. Give me the short version."

Jason opened his mouth. Closed it. His thoughts scrambled together in a tangled mess. He thought he'd have time to tell Cor everything, but it looked like that wouldn't be the case. Okay. Okay, first thing's first.

"Ardyn Izunia isn't who he says he is. He's the mastermind behind Niflheim's experiments with daemons, the attack at the Citadel, everything. The Emperor is his puppet. We have to find out what he's up to." Jason paused. Shit, what else did Cor need to know right now? For the life of him, he didn't know what Cor got up to while Noctis went on his journey, but this man could be a huge asset if he could just give him the right information. Which would be a lot easier if the marshall didn't look two seconds from bolting. Or punching his lights out, but Jason rather thought that was his default expression. "Okay. Two more things: Aranea Highwind is thinking about switching sides. Find her and I think you can make a deal. Also, find Ravus and tell him...tell him the thing he's most dreading happens in Altissia by Ardyn's hands. He definitely won't trust you, but he may end up putting a wrench in things."

What else, what else? But Jason was drawing up blank. He'd probably think of a million things later, but for now, it would have to do.

"Well. That's...something," Cor said, lifting a brow. He looked to Noctis for an explanation, but the prince only shrugged, lips pursed.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Makes as much sense as anything else lately," Noctis muttered the last part.

Cor's phone beeped insistently, and the man nodded. Without checking it, he heaved the unconscious man onto his shoulder effortlessly, giving them all a look. "Right. I'll look into it if I get the chance."

Jason bit his lip, watching as Cor turned abruptly and began to walk toward where he'd parked his bike. He could feel eyes practically boring holes into him, but his heart was pounding in his ears, drowning everything out. Cor didn't believe him. But he _had_ to. Jason couldn't just wait for things to happen, he needed eyes on Ardyn or they might not know what he's up to before it was too late. He jittered in place, staring after Cor, indecisive.

"Are you planning on telling us what that was about?" Gladio said, shifting to one side.

Jason didn't even look at him. Cor was getting farther away, and still he couldn't think of anything–

Oh. Oh! It might be nothing but a shot in the dark, but maybe he could kill two birds with one stone.

Heedless to the surprised voices of his companions, he turned and bolted towards Cor, catching up to him swiftly. He stumbled a little, still dead tired, but caught up soon enough. "Wait, Cor!"

Cor had reached his bike, dumping the sleeping man onto the seat without looking up. "Make it quick, Messenger," he said gruffly.

"One more thing. It's about Prompto." Just as Jason predicted, that got his attention. Cor turned and glared, eyes sharp with suspicion and hard as steel. Jason continued swiftly, before Cor decided to do something with that murder in his gaze. "I know what he is."

"How," the man said shortly, dangerously, and Jason was almost compelled to take a half step back. But he wouldn't back down on this.

Jason stuttered over his words before stopping. It would do absolutely no good to tell Cor his unbelievable story. So he would stick to what he had told him before. "I watched it happen in a vision," he said matter-of-factly. "At some point in Noctis' journey, Prompto is captured and taken to the base he was found in as an infant."

Tromping boots against concrete had Jason's eyes flickering nervously to Noctis and his retinue, swiftly coming into hearing range. "Cor," Jason pleaded, and though Cor scowled at him fiercely, he gestured, the four of them stopping in their tracks. Noctis glared and the rest of them look concerned, but they don't come any closer.

"Tell me what you know. Now."

"That guy," Jason scrambled for a name, "Prompto's original–Versteal. He's developing a massive weapon that could do a lot of damage. Prompto stops him, but he ends up finding out about his origins and then Ardyn...well, Ardyn tortures him, and uses him to lure Noctis into a trap." Cor narrowed his eyes, and Jason swiftly continued, outlining everything he could remember about the incident. "Aranea Highwind will know more," Jason concluded. He winced, wishing his memory wasn't as crap as it was. "I don't know exactly how she finds out, but she helps Prompto survive it."

Cor didn't answer for several seconds, and Jason noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Prompto shifted from side to side just out of earshot, staring at the two curiously. Cor looked over as well, considering the blond for a moment. Prompto blinked, surprised at having both of their attention all of the sudden. Jason looked away, and it was several more seconds before Cor met his eyes again.

"Why are you telling me this?"

 _Because I need you to believe me. Because I know you care about Prompto for whatever reason, and this might be the only way._ Jason remembered the way Cor had been protective of Prompto when they'd met, remembered the softening of his gaze when he spoke to the younger man. Cor might be a hard ass, but there was a gentleness in him reserved only for the blond. Jason didn't know exactly why, and it didn't really matter. All that mattered was that Cor shared Jason's desire to protect Prompto, something that would hopefully build trust between them.

Jason didn't say any of those things. "I just. I don't want him to go through that. No one deserves to find out that way. And," he glanced briefly at Prompto again, who looked decidedly discomfited at this point. There were so many other reasons. Prompto wasn't just a character anymore. Jason had felt genuine grief when he thought he'd died and despite everything, the man was someone Jason cared for, more than he was willing to admit. He didn't want to see Prompto hurt, didn't ever want to see the despair on his face because now it was _real,_ and Jason found that he was prepared to go to almost excessive lengths to avoid it. He looked Cor in the eye and remained silent, at a loss for words.

After a few more moments of deliberation, Cor eyes softened almost imperceptibly. He leaned back and nodded, as if everything Jason couldn't describe was plain on his face. "Ardyn Izunia, huh?" he asked, almost casually.

Jason let out a long breath of relief. "Will you watch him? If anything is going to work, I _need_ to know what he's up to."

Cor lifted a brow, almost smiling. "Don't you know everything?"

Jason's eyelids fell to half-mast. "Only what the Gods deign to share," he deadpanned.

Cor snorted, and his mein was almost friendly, after everything. Then it was gone. "I'll have him watched, as well as follow up on your other leads. If what you said is true, I'll report back to Noctis, and we'll go from there." He pulled out a small notebook from his jacket, opened it to a page and scribbled something on it. Ripping it out, he handed it to Jason, who took it with a questioning frown. "My number. Calls only, none of that texting bullshit. If you think of anything else, contact me. I might not answer, but I'll get back to you if I'm still alive."

Blindsided, Jason could only watch as Cor swung himself onto his bike behind his captive, starting the engine with a roar. He leaned forward to leave, but hesitated one last time. "About Prompto. I was the one who found him." He stopped, as if not sure what to add to that, before finishing with, "I'll be in touch."

Jason jumped back as Cor peeled out, flinging dust and gravel into the air before ripping down the highway towards the Hunter Base. He gaped after him before staring numbly at the crumpled piece of paper in his hands. It was a series of numbers, he guessed, but it was written messily in that same stilted font that barely looked English that was all over the signs around Eos. Also, he didn't have a cell-phone, so the point was moot. He smiled a little at Cor's views on texting, reminded vaguely of his dad. Heh. The older generation was old, no matter which reality he was in. With a sigh, he folded the paper in half and shoved it in his pocket. He wasn't sure exactly what to make of Cor's declaration, but at least now it seemed like Cor believed him. Hopefully, he could make connections that Jason could not.

He wished he had a way to contact Cor directly. Maybe he'd ask Ignis about getting a phone.

" _Now_ will you tell us what the hell is going on?" Noctis said sharply when Jason rejoined them.

"Yeah, dude! What was all that about?" Prompto bit his lip. "Why were you guys staring at me like that?"

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, a sharp headache making itself known on top of his exhaustion. He sighed, dropping his hand and looking at each of their expectant expressions. It appeared that all of them were at the end of their patience. "Yes. I'll tell you everything I know. But it's a _long_ story, so can we please find a place to chill for a while?"

Noctis looked like he was about to protest, but with one look at Jason's swaying form, he fell silent. "Fine," he said, and it was a little gentler than before, much to Jason surprise. "We make for camp. But then we talk." There was no room for argument in his eyes, and Jason nodded, far beyond the desire to protest the clear command in his tone. It was time.

-o0o-

"...and then the sun rose."

The crackling fire was the only sound aside from the chirping of the crickets and the slight rustle of the wind. Jason's final words, voice husked from weariness and talking for an hour straight, rung in the silence as if he'd shouted them instead of the whisper in which they were delivered. The humid air of the region clung to each of them uncomfortably, the terrain changing drastically after they'd breached the other side of the mountain range. The desert's nightly chill was a distant memory as they all sweat in the thick air.

Prompto sat stiffly, still as uncharacteristically inanimate as he'd fallen only a few minutes into Jason's tale. The man himself was slumped into Prompto's old camp chair, looking utterly spent. Beads of sweat dripped down his face and collarbone, and his black hair seemed to take on a life of its own in the humidity, curling every which way. But though it tickled the edges of his eyes and lips, he was clearly too distraught, brows drawn together and expression grim, to notice. He avoided each of their eyes, waiting for them to absorb the grim tale he just shared.

Prompto tried. But. It was too much. And so he sat in still silence, waiting, or perhaps wishing, for someone to speak and take the responsibility from him.

Jason had not been exaggerating when he'd told Prompto that his tale ended in tragedy. Prompto turned his head slightly to look at his three friends, feeling himself tear a little at the fringes.

Noctis sat pale as death in his chair, slouched as if he'd taken a mortal blow but shoulders tensed so tightly Prompto could practically feel the pain in his own body. Noctis' hand clenched around Ignis' as if he let go, Ignis would vanish into the ether. Ignis, for his part, clung to Noct's hand just as tightly, completely expressionless, almost terrifyingly so. About halfway through the story, Gladiolus had turned his back on all of them, staring out into the pitch black, head bowed and arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Prompto wrenched his eyes away, looking at his trembling fingers in his lap.

So much suffering. He knew they were at war, but this was so much worse than he was prepared for. Would ever be prepared for.

Ignis loses his sight.

Prompto is t-tortured.

So many people die. Lady Lunafreya. N-Noct–he inhaled sharply, shuddering hard. And the rest of humanity is left in darkness while this–this Ardyn sits on Noctis' throne, waiting for Noctis to end it all. Waiting for him to _sacrifice himself–_

And there was something else that Jason wasn't telling him. His eyes kept meeting Prompto's then skittering away, as if Jason didn't want him to know something terrible. But Prompto couldn't imagine what could be worse than what he'd already said. He didn't want to know.

What could be worse than seeing those Prompto loves maimed, killed, _taken away from him?_ Prompto's whole body was trembling now, and he leaned into Ignis' side, desperate for contact. Ignis didn't react.

What could be worse than losing Noctis?

Nothing.

"No," Noctis whispered, the first person who'd spoken in over ten minutes. Jason flinched. "No, I don't believe it," he said a little more forcefully.

"It's the truth," Jason said, voice rasping slightly. "At least, the truth as I knew it to be."

"How?" Noctis demanded. It was aggressive, but his voice cracked, displaying his distress. Prompto shuddered. He didn't know if he wanted to hear anymore. "How do you know all this? And don't you _dare_ sit there and tell me it's because you played a damned _videogame._ "

Jason stared at him straight on, grim determination on his drawn features. "How did I know that Insomnia would fall? How did I know that you guys would return to Hammerhead, or about the mech at the blockade?" He let his words hang in the air for several seconds before dropping his gaze again. "Because I was brought to this world to be your Messenger," he said the word with disdain. "That, at least, has been made inescapably clear…"

Noctis pinched his lips together into a tight line, until they were devoid of color. He cut his gaze away, hair shadowing his eyes.

"So…" Ignis finally spoke. "Noctis is the Chosen King, the one from the Prophecies. 'When darkness veils the world, the King of Light shall come.'" He quoted, a familiar line from the legends of Lucis. "And if Noctis is the King of Light, then the darkness…"

"Is Ardyn Lucis Caelum," Jason supplied. "I admit, I don't know everything about his past, but he explained it a little. He was the original Chosen King. In order to save the people from the Starscourge's first outbreak, he took it into himself. He...corrupted his soul, I guess, and was rejected by the Crystal. His brother became king instead."

"And now he walks Eos, immortal, in wait for the Chosen King to end his existence, and in effect, the Starscourge."

"In a nutshell." Jason leaned back, crossing his arms. "There was something in the game that I just didn't get. It bothered me at the time, like, it was another one of 'because videogame' moments. Now that all of this is reality, and not just an interpretation in another dimension–or whatever," he waved his hand, physically shooing away the musings on the information they still just didn't have. "I didn't understand why Noctis had to gather the pacts with the Astrals. Yes, they were great ex machinas that could take out a horde of enemies in one strike. But the cost just seemed. Arbitrary. When Noctis was in the Crystal, Bahamut himself said that the Crystal's power and the power of Noctis' forebears exceeds that of the Astrals. In the end, Noctis didn't use the Astrals at all to defeat Ardyn. So Lunafreya's death was...superfluous, I guess." Jason winced at his own wording, but didn't take back his statement. Noctis twitched, but didn't comment.

"According to legend," Ignis said slowly, "it is said that the King once stood alongside the Astrals to banish the darkness. It seems that Lady Lunafreya is under the belief that Noctis will need that power."

Silence hung in the air for several minutes, no one really sure what to say about that. "Maybe," Prompto started, hesitantly, "Maybe we can change her mind. If Noctis didn't need the power, then why go after it?"

Jason clenched his hands between his knees, brow furrowed in concentration. "I don't think we can make that call yet. Not until we know what Ardyn has planned."

"You said before that you thought Ardyn might be a 'player'," Ignis said. "Am I to understand that you believe he may not follow the same path you knew him to follow before?"

Jason nodded. "You, Gladio and I encountered him in Keycatrich while we were searching for Noctis and Prompto. He manipulated your memories somehow so that you didn't remember when I asked you about it the next day."

"But you remember everything clearly?"

"Yeah. It was odd, because I don't remember you guys meeting him in the canyon. Your first interaction with him was actually at Galdin Quay." Jason briefly described their interaction, how it should have gone, before outlining the encounter in the canyon. "When he spotted me, he stopped time, just like I can. He seemed surprised that I was there, and called me a Messenger. Then he grabbed me." Jason looked down at his arms, rubbing them lightly with a grimace of remembered pain, and Prompto wondered just how violent that altercation had been. "That was when he was repelled with the same power I experienced when I came to this world; a white light, like lightning...Ardyn seemed to believe I was protected by a God. Anyway, it was what he said after that that made me start to think that he might be like me. He said 'the game has changed'."

 _He's wrong,_ a frustrated voice inside of Prompto whispered, and without thinking, he opened his mouth and repeated the words. "You're wrong."

Jason and Ignis looked to him in surprise, and Prompto furrowed his brow in confusion. "Um. I don't know why I said that."

There was a curious echo of shock that reverberated through Prompto, but he barely acknowledged it, discounting it as surprise from his outburst.

Ignis pursed his lips, but nodded, turning back to Jason. "It is curious that he used that particular turn of phrase. And the fact that he was somewhere he wasn't originally meant to be is troubling."

Jason nodded. "I thought so as well, but I can't be certain. Ardyn was acting differently than how I remembered him, yeah, but so far, nearly everything is happening the same way I remember it. The only difference is what I've done to change things and our encounter with Ardyn."

 _Wrong,_ the voice whispered again, and this time, Prompto tilted his head. Again, his mouth opened before he could stop it. "No. Things _are_ different." Prompto fell silent with an audible click of his jaw, as if the words had been physically pulled from him. Now it wasn't just Jason and Ignis, but Noctis turning to him as well. Prompto sat up straight, brow furrowing. There were echoes of something just on the edges of his consciousness, an unnamed excitement growing out of place.

"Prompto?" Ignis said.

Prompto looked at him. And he started talking. "Um. I don't think Ardyn's from the same world as Jason. Remember what Iggy said? That Jason has power that only Gods, Messengers and the Line of Lucis have? I think, it's the other way around? Or–" he swallowed, trying to grasp a line of thought that seemed just out of his reach, fluttering like a nearly invisible spider web in the breeze. The voice whispered to him, but the words were indistinct, formless. And then it was gone. He felt suddenly devoid, excitement fizzling into nothing, leaving empty confusion in its wake.

Prompto slowly closed his mouth, disconcerted. What was that?

Jason leaned forward, looking at Prompto strangely. "What do you mean, the other way around?"

"I…" Prompto frowned. "I don't know." He looked away, shivering.

"...Prompto brings up a good point," Ignis said slowly. "If he is of the line of Caelum, then it could explain his power. We might even surmise that it stems from his connection to the Starscourge." Jason frowned, lacing his fingers together in thought. "Either way, I think we have to assume that Ardyn won't keep his original plan, at least not entirely. He could have been referring to the fact that seeing a 'Messenger' will make him approach things differently. His wording could be coincidence."

Jason deliberated, but he shook his head, clearly not convinced. "No, there's a connection between my abilities and Ardyn's, I know it. I just have to figure out what...but basically, it means we don't really know what's going to happen for sure anymore," he concluded quietly.

"None of it is going to happen," Noctis, who had barely reacted to anything that had been said, spoke with unexpected force. He glared into the fire, a suspicious shine to his determined eyes. "I won't let it."

Gladio finally turned around, face stony, and stood behind Noctis' chair in silent solidarity. He kept his peace but placed one firm hand on Noctis' shoulder, connecting the four of them.

Jason smiled a little. "That's the plan."

"How are we going to do that, though?" Prompto asked, solemn. No voice whispered to him. All was quiet. He shook his head slightly, but after a second, dismissed it as his mind playing tricks on him. He was exhausted, after all.

"For now, we go to Lestallum," Gladio said firmly, finally speaking up, speaking directly to Jason. "Iris is waiting for us there and so is Ardyn. Either Ardyn does as you've predicted and he's there for us to deal with, or he's not and we know for sure his plans have changed."

Jason tilted his head, considering. "Cor said he'd watch Ardyn and report back to us. I guess all we can do is wait."

"What about the Royal Arms?" Noctis asked, a little color returning to his cheeks.

"I think it would still be wise to pursue them," Ignis said thoughtfully. "I have no doubt we will need all the power we can get, before the end."

"And Luna? We have to stop her from making the pacts with the Astrals," Noctis insisted.

"I don't think we can." Ignis said grimly, lacing his fingers together. "Until we think of a different way to stop Ardyn or receive more information, we may not have a choice but to follow the Path of Kings."

"But–"

"We have no idea where she is, Noct." Ignis said quietly. "The chances of us guessing when she will arrive to the Disk of Cauthess or happening upon her in our travels are slim to none. We simply need more information."

Noctis sighed, burying his head in his hands. "This is so messed up…" Abruptly, he stood. Without removing his hand from his eyes, he stumbled to the tent and made his way inside, the tent flap closing gently behind him.

The remaining four sat silently around the fire, the revelations of the night weighing heavily on them all. Ignis rose first, following Noctis into the tent, and Gladio a moment later. Prompto didn't move, staring at Jason, hesitating. But Jason wouldn't lift his eyes, gazing into the fire as if all the answers lay there, elusive. With a quiet sigh, Prompto stood and entered the tent, letting it close behind him.

Noctis sat on his knees, eyes on the floor and shoulders slumped, seeing nothing. He looked lost, shining blue eyes beyond the point of worry and grief. Prompto hated seeing that look on his face, the very same expression he wore when he discovered Insomnia's fall. It was ironic, Prompto thought bitterly, that he'd had promised then that he would protect Noctis from such a look again, but ended up breaking that vow only weeks later.

Ignis, Gladio and Prompto settled around Noctis, waiting for their prince to speak. Noctis worked his jaw.

"That is not our future. I won't allow it," he whispered, looking up at the three of them with all the determination he could muster.

" _We_ won't allow it," Prompto said. Noctis nodded, but he couldn't hold there gazes. He dropped his own, dark lashes doing nothing to hide the tears he wouldn't allow to fall. Prompto felt his own eyes sting.

"...Guys," Noctis said brokenly, and Prompto knew what he was thinking about. Prompto's torture. Ignis' blindness. That he leaves them all, forever. Noctis reached a hand out to both of them, one on Prompto's arm and the other on Ignis' cheek, just below his right eye.

"Not gonna happen," Gladio said. He'd said little the entire night, but there was no arguing with the finality of his tone, and hope to be gained by his unwavering confidence.

"Yeah, no way we're gonna let you sacrifice yourself, buddy."

Ignis sighed, lightly touching the back of the hand cradling his cheek, gently taking it into his his own and squeezing it. "We _will_ find a way to defeat the Chancellor and make this right. For now, we should all get some rest. We have a long journey ahead."

Noctis nodded, visibly relaxing as gentle hands guided him down. Prompto didn't resist as Noctis pulled him into his arms, resting one beneath Prompto's head and throwing the other across his waist, drawing him close. Prompto closed his eyes, burying his head beneath Noctis' chin, both reassured by his strength and lending Noctis his own. Ignis settled down behind Noctis, and Gladio behind Prompto, the larger man throwing his arm over the two youngest members and placing his hand reassuringly on Ignis', whose own rested across Noctis' hip.

Silence filled the tent, and Prompto could feel himself slipping away in the protective arms of his friends, mind still troubled but too exhausted to deny sleep any longer. A stirring of something within him drew his lips into a sleepy frown, the edges of his consciousness disturbed by some unknown presence he couldn't name. Before he could place it, Prompto was fast asleep, the unsettling feeling nothing but a vague memory to be swept away by his troubled dreams.

Jason never entered the tent that night.

-o0o-

AN: Honestly? I don't know how accurate to the lore this is going to be. In the context of this story, I think it will make sense in the end, though. Remember that Jason is working with limited information, and some recent updates to content will be ignored because of this. It will make more sense once certain things come to light later.

Man, someone is trying really hard to reach Prompto. Is Jason on the wrong track? He doesn't seem to think so, but only time will tell.

Next Chapter: The guys go shopping and Jason invests in some hair products. It's not as gay as it sounds...or maybe it is. Hehe. I've already got it written, just gotta edit, so stay tuned folks.

Thanks for your kind comments, guys. Really, it lifted my spirits quite a bit and made everything suck just a little bit less. So...just, thanks. See you next time!


	22. Worth Protecting

AN:...I'm shit at romance. WHAT HAVE I DONE? But here, have this. I'm tired of looking at it.

On a happier note, Jason got some fanart by the lovely Choco-bruh. They perfectly captured Jason's mood in this chapter, it's so? PERFECT? Clearly, though, I need to give Jason a little happiness, because I can't have you all only imagining him with a sad face all the time. Here's to the beginning of Smiling!Jason :))))

-o0o-

They drove at an even pace down the highway, wind whipping at the five of them but doing absolutely nothing to alleviate the heat. And the bugs, ugh! Prompto _hated_ bugs! They just buzzed around in your ears and made you itchy and got in your food–

Bleh. Not to mention the fact that Prompto couldn't even cuddle properly with all of this nasty heat and humidity. They woke up that morning positively disgusting, practically stuck together with sweat and sodden clothes. At least it distracted from the general mood. It was as if the night before had just been an awful dream, but the distinct lack of their dubiously divine friend and the solemn looks on everyone's faces quickly discounted that theory, no matter how Prompto would rather have focused on _anything_ else, even how uncomfortable he was.

Prompto wasn't sure he believed it. Well. He didn't want to. But the fact of the matter was, Jason had been right about everything so far, and he'd proven himself to be trustworthy. And it wasn't like they could afford to not believe him, not if they wanted to avoid the dark future he painted. Because if they dismissed him, and Jason was right?

Unthinkable.

Prompto was pretty certain that was why Noctis had been so shaken the night before. There was no way any of them were going to take that chance.

Jason was in the same spot Prompto had left him, staring into the dead campfire with distant eyes. He greeted them easily enough when they exited the tent, but little was said afterwards. They packed up camp and left in silence after a cold breakfast, getting on the road without a word.

It was a few hours later and Prompto was going a little crazy. Gladio sat to his right, staring blankly at his novel that Prompto knew he wasn't reading for real. He hadn't turned a page in a good ten minutes. Noctis was pretending to be asleep on his other side, but the tense frown on his face gave him away. He couldn't see Iggy's face, and Jason still hadn't looked him in the eye since the day before. Prompto was pretty sure he hadn't slept, or at the very least, slept outside of the tent. In the bugs. And it even rained!

Prompto didn't like this. Not one bit. Yes, the future Jason described was terrible, but they were setting out to change it! Being all mopey about it was not going to help.

Noctis and Luna and everyone were going to survive, Iggy would keep his sight and they would defeat Ardyn before anything bad happened! They had the backing of the Gods, afterall.

A little voice inside Prompto's head reminded him that the characters in Jason's story had the favor of the Gods as well, and it hadn't ended well for them, but he pushed it down forcefully. Nope. They could do this. If he doubted for even one second he just might fall apart.

"So Iggy, what's next?" Prompto broke the silence with a forcefully cheerful tone.

Ignis glanced at him in the rearview mirror before answering. "We make our way to Lestallum."

"Yeah, but! That will take, like, three days. It's on the other side of the country!"

"Well, we aren't going straight there," Ignis said. "In about ten more miles there is an outpost we should stop at." Gladio shifted, and the three others tuned into the conversation, Noctis opening his eyes to listen. "We need to gather some funds for Jason's armor, as well as invest in another tent. It's much too hot in this region for the five of us to sleep in one tent comfortably."

Something about that bothered Prompto a little. Yeah, more space would be nice, but then...they would have to split up. A sharp stab of anxiety at the thought made him pause. With the way things were now, even that tiny thing could tip them over the edge, and someone could get hurt. Because he knew how that would play out. Jason would be in one tent, and Noctis in the other, the two still at odds even after all this time. And with the relationships between Gladio and Ignis as precarious as it'd seemed the previous morning, _and_ the uncertainty of Prompto's place in all of this still prevalent in his mind–yeah, no. Prompto thought that was a very, very bad idea. He couldn't speak for everyone, but Prompto knew that he, at least, would probably draw too much meaning from any of their choices, and that was just a stress he didn't need right now. He might learn some hard truths he just isn't ready for.

And to be honest, he wasn't quite willing to let any of them out of his sight for long.

"It's weird that you don't make more money when you're literally risking your lives to fight dangerous monsters…" Jason mused, although he still seemed far away, dark eyes distant. Prompto let go of his troubled thoughts for the moment.

"I have little in the way of experience when it comes to the practices outside of Insomnia, but I believe it has something to do with our rank as hunters. The more we defeat, the more gil we earn."

"What about the Arms?" Gladiolus rumbled, putting his book down. "Do we know where any of them are, or were we just planning to happen across them?"

"That would be rather tricky. Unfortunately for us, we don't know where any of them are located. Cor provided us with the last two locations and I assume he is looking for the others as we speak. Now all we can do is wait."

"Just great," Noctis grumbled. "Call me the Waiting King."

"That's not necessarily true," Jason said, ignoring Noctis' grumbling entirely. Jason turned around in his seat, leaning over the head rest to look back at them. Ignis tutted, but didn't say anything. "I may have a vague idea about where some of them are."

"What? Why didn't you say something sooner?" Noctis said, a bit miffed.

Jason's eyes fell to half mast. "Would you have believed me?" he asked sardonically. A shrug and an incoherent muttering was as good as a confirmation, and Jason rolled his eyes, answering the question. "A couple of reasons: one, I had more important things to deal with." He left those things unsaid. No point in bringing up what they already knew. "Two, I said 'vaguely' because I don't know how accurate I'll be. The map is vastly bigger than what I'm used to and honestly my memory isn't the best, especially when I don't think something is important at the time. If I ever played the game again, I would have just looked it up on Google."

Prompto snorted at the nonsensical word, the image of the plushie he had as a kid popping up in his head unexpectedly. "Google? What's that supposed to mean?"

Jason lifted his brows in surprise, then smiled a little. "Only one of the most successful companies in my world. Their search engine is the most powerful and widely used on the planet." His eyes widened. "Wait, do you guys even have internet?"

"Of course we do," Noctis drawled. "What do you think this is, the age of the Founder King?"

"Um. Sure. Right, I guess I remember Ignis using navigation a while back."

"Who knows how much longer that will last," Ignis mused, adding his two cents. "Without the servers in Insomnia running a great deal of access is lost. I have no doubt that Niflheim has taken over our satellites as well…"

"Wait, what?" Jason said, suddenly excited. His eyes lit up unexpectedly, and Prompto smiled in response. "You guys have satellites? Have you made it into space? Did you visit the moon? What about–"

"While all of this is fascinating," Gladio interjected, "we were talking about the location of the Arms?"

Jason deflated a little. "Oh, right. Give me a second." He paused, brow furrowing in concentration. The next time he blinked, his eyes were consumed by a white light, startling the three in the back seat a little. They had all seen him do this before, but there was something unsettling about the sightless way his eyes stared. Prompto wondered briefly about the power Jason had described the night before. Prompto wasn't exactly an expert on the Astrals and their various abilities, but he was pretty sure none of them had power quite like this...Then again, what did he know? He'd barely paid attention to the lessons about the Astrals in high school. It was only the fact that even Ignis didn't seem to know from where Jason's power stemmed that got him thinking it might be more complicated than having the favor of any one God…

A niggling of a memory tickled the back of Prompto's mind, almost like a flash of déjà vu, but it was gone before he could grasp it. It left him unsettled, for some reason. Jason's frustrated noise distracted him a second later.

"What is it?" Gladio asked.

"Sorry, I just…" Jason shook his head, troubled. "It's changed again. Every time I use it, it looks a little different." There was an edge of sadness to his voice, but Jason continued before anyone could ask. "Okay, off the top of my head. There's one in Leide, in the Balouve mines."

"What!? We were just there," Prompto complained.

Jason laughed. "Trust me, you guys aren't ready for that one. Erm. _We_ aren't ready for that one." He grimaced. "Anyway, the second one I've got is in the Disk of Cauthess. Can't go there yet." Jason started pointing at the air, as if a map hovered in front of his face, and Prompto wondered just what it was he was seeing. "Uhm. There's that one behind the waterfall. I don't remember the name, but that kid in Lestallum can tell us where exactly. Costlemark Tower. We are _not_ ready for that one. Ugh, I don't even know how that one will be possible... The top of the Rock of Ravatogh." Jason stalled, then sighed. "I think you get a couple more on your way through Niflheim, but I'm not sure where since I can only remember bits and pieces. That's all I've got."

"That's nine that we know of, including the two we already have," Ignis counted. "And we don't really have access to any of them at the moment…"

"There are others I don't remember the location for, though, and there may be more. I never collected all of them."

"Are there really that many? This sounds like it's going to take forever!" Prompto exclaimed.

Jason smiled tightly. "Tell me about it. And the map is so much bigger now. We've been driving for hours and we've barely made it to the Alistor Slough region…This could take months…"

"We don't have that kind of time," Noctis said, insistent. "We need to get to Luna before she makes the pact with the Archean."

"When does that happen, exactly?" Gladiolus asked.

Jason shrugged wearily. "Got me. It wasn't as if there was an actual time limit on anything, other than an active night and day cycle. It just happened when you reached a certain checkpoint."

"We can't assume that that will hold true, now," Ignis said reasonably.

"How will we know when to go there, then?" Noctis said, frustrated.

"We won't, not unless we can contact Lunafreya somehow. Doesn't that girl have a cellphone for Christ's sake?" Jason muttered.

Noctis scoffed. "If she did, we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we?"

"What about that dog, then?"

"He only shows up when she sends him." This time, Noctis didn't even blink at Jason's casual use of personal information, though his frown deepened a little. They were all growing accustomed to Jason just–knowing things. Even though sometimes it could be kind of uncomfortable how much he knew about them, especially for someone as private as Noctis.

Still, Prompto wished the two would just tone it down a little. They seemed to feed of each other's negativity and it was wearing on them all. But it would take time. Noctis wasn't known for his open, friendly demeanor when it came to strangers. Especially not strangers with bad news. Prompto could only hope it would get better with time as they got to know each other, and Noctis would eventually accept that Jason was just trying to help.

Prompto could only hope.

Maybe they should get that second tent after all, throw them in together and don't let them out till they've talked. He snickered, amused at the thought.

All of them fell into silence again, each mulling over their own thoughts. It looked like Lestallum was still going to be their first destination. Prompto didn't exactly have the map of Lucius memorized, but all the locations Jason mentioned were hella out of their way. Prompto wasn't too thrilled about the way they sounded, either. On top of a volcano? Really?

Houses began appearing from between the short trees of the area, and soon enough, they found themselves in the middle of a small outpost. Shops and a few homes lined the highway, the town too small for even a traffic light. Ignis pulled into a station and parked, shutting the engine off and the five of them exited the Regalia, stretching and groaning after sitting still for so long. It didn't help that they'd been spending most of the past several weeks sleeping on the ground. Aaaaand fighting for their lives. That too.

"Man, what I wouldn't give for night on a soft bed," Prompto groaned, stretching his arms over his head until his spine popped satisfyingly.

"Nothing wrong with roughing it," Gladi said. "Camping is good for the soul."

"Not good for my back, though," Noctis grumbled good naturedly.

Ignis eyed the open market down the street, then pulled out his wallet, checking its contents. "I believe I'll visit the market. We could use a few supplies. Care to join me, Noct?" The prince sighed before nodding, falling into step with Ignis. He feigned boredom, but Prompto could see the small pleased smile on his face. Prompto was glad to see it, even though it filled him with a small pang of unease to watch them walk off together without him…

"I'm going to check out the local eatery," Gladio interrupted Prompto's thoughts. "They've probably got some small hunts we can take care of today." Gladio gave Prompto a short look, then flicked his eyes to Jason, who stood against the Regalia, arms crossed and eyes downcast. Prompto took in the slumped man's drawn features, mouth falling open in a small 'o', before nodding to Gladio. It looked like Prompto wasn't the only one who'd noticed the man's melancholy.

"Sounds good, big guy. Jase and I will hang here, maybe grab some snacks."

Gladio looked at Jason for a long moment with a small frown, hesitating. But then placed a hand on Prompto's shoulder before walking towards the diner next to the station, leaving Prompto and Jason on their own. Jason didn't even seem to notice that the others had left, much less reacted to the sound of Prompto's approach. Prompto paused, taking in the weary man's appearance.

Jason looked tired, almost haunted as he slumped against the car. Dark rings hung beneath his eyes, clearly visible even against his tanned skin. Dark hair sat unkempt against his forehead and neck, wild and almost fluffy in the humidity. It would have been funny, if it hadn't meant that Jason was barely taking care of himself. He was a far cry from the healthy man he'd first appeared to be when they met in Leide, and Prompto couldn't help the stirring of concern settling in his stomach. He felt a little sick, thinking that none of them had really bothered to make sure he cared for himself, too distracted by the drama of late, too distracted by each other. Every time Prompto would think to check on him, to make sure he was alright, something new popped up to turn his world upside down and he'd find himself wrapped up in his own head.

Well, Prompto would fix that. Jason was a friend now, and he looked seconds from falling apart completely. Not cool.

"Hey," Prompto said, and Jason jumped. "You alright, Jase?"

Jason blinked, looking around and seeming to notice that the guys had already left. His eyes settled back onto Prompto before guilt flashed across his face, gaze cutting away. After a second he shook his head slowly, dark lashes hiding his eyes, and it broke Prompto's heart a little. "Did you even sleep last night?" He shook his head again, and Prompto hummed, frowning. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Jason shifted, then sighed heavily at the determined look on Prompto's face. "I...no, I don't. But. I need to tell you. Just not yet." And there was that look in his eyes again, that dread, almost as if he was afraid of how Prompto would react. His expression pleaded with Prompto to drop it, and it only made Prompto burn with curiosity more. But the haunted look in Jason's eyes had Prompto acquiescing, deciding that he really didn't want to know. Even if it seemed like Jason could really use some unburdening.

"Okay. I'm here if you need me." Something occurred to Prompto then, as he stared at the sweat collected at Jason's exposed collarbone. There was a tear in the neckline of his rather filthy shirt, unnoticed until now. It was a testament to just how stressed Ignis must be if he hadn't snatched it up to be repaired yet. "Hey, why don't we go get you some stuff? Iggy gave me a little gil after our last hunt, and you look like you could use some new clothes."

Jason shifted a little, seeming a bit uncomfortable by the idea. "Is that alright? Don't we need to save up for more important stuff?"

Prompto felt a little offended by that statement. "Clothes _are_ important! Besides, your hair is a wreck! Do you even own a comb?"

Jason grimaced, tugging at a lock of his hopelessly tangled curls. "No. I showed up completely naked, remember?"

Prompto smirked. Boy, did he. It's too bad he was a little too freaked out to appreciate the sight at the time. He did enjoy watching Jase and Gladio go at it the day before, though...Shirts really were optional. Jason narrowed his eyes, as if he could read what Prompto was thinking on his face. "C'mon, let's go shopping!"

Grabbing onto the other man's hand, Prompto dragged Jason towards the general store, only letting go when he'd stumbled into step beside him. The door tinkled loudly as they entered, old-timey radio spitting out pleasant staticy tunes from a few decades ago. The shelves were sparse, the standard fare Prompto had gotten accustomed to this far outside of the city. Basic food and supplies could be found here, and everything seemed serviceable, if a little dingy.

They wandered down a couple isles selling everything from bags of chips to lengths of rope, when Jason made a small, excited noise in the back of his throat. "Oh, thank God," he sighed, snatching a small container off the shelves.

"Which God?" Prompto asked, and Jason paused, thoughtful, before shrugging noncommittally. Prompto shrugged as well, and spotted what had caught Jason's attention; a small container of rubber bands claiming to be 'multi-purpose' was clutched almost reverently in Jason's hands. Prompto had no doubt he was grateful to have something to tie his hair back. With a smile, Prompto grabbed a small utilitarian comb, heavier duty than what the rest of them needed. No way was his little pick comb going to get through that mess.

Jason took the comb as well, looking down at it as if it were the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. It made Prompto a little sad that something so simple could make Jason look so happy. But then again, they'd all been forced to live without most comforts these past weeks. At the very least, though, they could take care of their basic needs. "You should have asked for these things sooner, Jase." Not that anyone had bothered to help him out with that. Prompto frowned. Jason probably didn't have any gil to speak of, having to rely on others to provide for him. And the sad truth was, no one had been. A strong swell of protectiveness surged up in the blond then. That wasn't fair. Jason had been helping everyone he came across without ever asking anything in return. He resolved to make sure this didn't happen again.

"Yeah, well," Jason shrugged, not privy to Prompto's thoughts, before changing the subject. "I should help. With the hunts, I mean. You guys shouldn't have to spend money on me."

There it was again! Why did this guy refuse to see his own value, as if it were some great, what, hardship? To buy him a _comb?_ Prompto just couldn't figure out how someone could go through as much as Jason had and still be so inexplicably selfless. Or...maybe selfless wasn't the right word. It was more like, he didn't want to be taken care of, like he was trying to make up for something, though Prompto couldn't imagine what that could be. He just knew that whatever it was, it wasn't healthy. "Dude, you are helping! We wouldn't know half the stuff we did if it weren't for you. Don't sweat it!"

Prompto grabbed a drab grey shirt from the small rack of clothes in the corner of the store and held it up to Jason's chest. He frowned, staring back at the wrack. There wasn't much in the way of selection out here. Oh, wait, was that some Hammerhead merch he spied?

Jason snorted at the t-shirt when Prompto handed it over, pulling it on obligingly. The Hammerhead logo blazoned across his chest on a background of yellow, clunky block letters clashing horribly with the obnoxiously bright color. "Oh my Gods, that is so ugly. We have to get it!" Jason laughed, and Prompto's chest warmed a little, glad to hear the sound. Laughter really was the best medicine.

"Sooo," Prompto drawled, teasing lilt to his voice. They were walking from the store, Jason with a small duffel thrown over his shoulder. He was carefully picking through his long hair with his newly purchased comb, and they still had some time to kill before the guys got back. "I see you and Gladio are getting along better?"

Jason's hands froze. He shot Prompto a look before deliberately going back to what he was doing, separating his black curls piece by piece. "Yeah, what of it?" he said defensively.

"Oh-ho-ho! Did I hit a nerve, big guy? What was that you said?" He pitched his voice, imitating Jason in an insulting falsetto. "Oh, Gladio! Do you have something to take the edge off? I don't think my body can _handle_ what you gave me last night~"

Jason spluttered. "Wha–No! I was talking about the alcohol!"

"Yeah," Prompto teased. "Because you and Gladio got drunk together. All alone. With no one around. And you totally weren't cradled in Gladio's arms when we found you in the morning."

He blanched. "What?!"

Prompto grinned evilly, summoning his camera and brandishing it. "Here, look! I've got a pic!" Jason took one look at the camera before his cheeks darkened alarmingly. Prompto didn't even have to look to know what he saw. When Ignis, Prompto and Noctis returned to camp, half expecting to find Jason still the nervous wreck he'd been the day before, they instead found said man looking shockingly at home in Gladio's arms, the larger man holding him almost protectively. To make things even better, Jason's shirt had ridden up sometime in the night, Gladio's palm resting against his bare hip, as if halfway in the act of pulling him closer before he'd fallen asleep. It looked, in a word, scandalous. It didn't help matters that Prompto had managed to only capture their upper bodies. He snickered. They made quite the pretty pair.

Jason made a small pained noise in the back of his throat before grabbing for the camera. Prompto drew back with a laugh, holding it above his head tauntingly. "Nuh-uh-uh! Not until you spill!"

"We just–talked, alright? Nothing happened!" But Jason didn't sound too sure about that and Prompto grinned knowingly. Of course, he knew that Jason was probably telling the truth. Gladio was an insatiable flirt, sure, but he wasn't the type of man to push himself on someone who was clearly afraid of him, even if Jason hadn't been by morning. Knowing Gladio, he'd probably been nothing but a complete gentleman. That wouldn't stop Prompto from teasing Jason mercilessly, however.

Jason crossed his arms stubbornly, giving up his pursuit. Good thing too, because Prompto was prepared to run all the way back to the desert if it meant keeping this particular photo. For blackmail, of course. "Well, what about you? Something happened at that hotel, didn't it. You guys were acting all weird when you got back." He lifted a dark brow, small smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "You already slept with Noctis, didn't you? You sly dog, you work fast."

This time, it was Prompto's turn to flush, but as much as the memories of that particular part of the night were more than pleasant, the reminder of the rest had his face falling. He slowly brought his camera back down to his chest, clutching it against himself as if it could comfort him. He stared at it blankly, biting his lip in thought as a swell of unease settled in his chest.

"Prom?" Jason asked gently, brows drawing together in concern at Prompto's silence. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's okay," Prompto said, shifting a bit. Surprisingly, he found that it was. Prompto wasn't the most open of people when it came to his insecurities, usually one to deflect with humor when things got a little too close to heart. But. Something about Jason made him think that he wouldn't judge him or dismiss his feelings. Maybe it was the fact that they shared a strange connection in his mysterious appearance to this world, or that out of everyone Jason had been the only one Prompto could really talk to about all the weird stuff going on, his only confident who seemed just as freaked out by all of it as Prompto was.

Or maybe he was just a sucker for those earnest chocolate eyes.

"...Did something bad happen?" Jason asked tentatively.

Prompto thought about it, then shook his head. "No, not really?" He furrowed his brow, picking at his wristband, and, in effect, picking apart his memories. He began talking haltingly, not sure himself exactly what happened. "So, like, I was super excited, right? I've loved Noctis for a long time. I mean, I practically stalked him in middle school." Prompto chuckled at himself. He really had been a weirdo back then. "So when he confessed, I was like, no way! This can't be true! But then it _was,_ and we were holding hands, and kissing, and I was finally able to _touch–_ " Jason cleared his throat pointedly, and Prompto toned back his fanboy-ing a bit. "Heh, sorry. Anyway, we were making out when I said something about Ignis and Noctis kinda freaked. It turns out Ignis and Noctis were together a few years ago, but broke up because of a misunderstanding. I kind of ended up convincing them to make up, and they're back together now? I think?"

Prompto didn't look up to see Jason's expression. When Jason spoke, it was gentle, probing. "But...what about you and Noctis? And I thought Ignis was with Gladio?"

Prompto hummed, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, I don't know. After they made up, I was going to leave, but then Noctis kind of told me he l-loved me?" He faltered a bit before moving on swiftly. "And he wanted Ignis to join us but Iggy said no 'cause he was still with Gladio and it wouldn't be cool if he went behind his back without him there. And then I kind of, maybe, convinced Ignis to stay and watch...while I fucked Noctis." Jason made a choked noise. "Soooo. Yeah."

"Uh. Wow." Jason paused, swallowed. He seemed a little pale, and his eyes were comically wide. Prompto would have thought it was funny, had he not known there was probably a similar expression on his face. "So that conversation yesterday morning…"

"Iggy basically said he'd 'reconciled' with Noctis and then you showed up. I kinda thought we would, y'know, _talk_ about it but then we had to meet up with Cor and you told us about the end of the world…" Which left no time for discussion, naturally, and left Prompto in a somewhat uncomfortable lurch. He didn't know where he stood, and that terrified him. What if Noctis decided Ignis was the only one he really wanted, he didn't want Prompto anymore? What if Ignis didn't like Prompto like that in the _first_ place?

What if he'd ruined the relationship between Ignis and Gladio?!

Prompto hadn't missed the way Gladio had backed off, as if separating himself from the rest of them like it was just _over_ between him and Ignis, like he was getting out of the way or something. It seemed so wrong, because Ignis and Gladio had been together for as long as Prompto had known them. He just didn't know what to make of it and he didn't like it.

Jason, for his part, looked completely flummoxed, as if he wasn't quite following the conversation. Eventually, he settled on, "That sounds...rough, man. I'm sorry. Um. Isn't it kind of selfish of Noctis to want you both?"

Prompto blinked, then laughed a little. "Well, if it's selfish of him, then it's selfish of me too. There was no way I was gonna let Iggy walk out if I had the chance to have them both. At the same time!" Prompto smiled dreamily, remembering that night with a little jolt of excitement. The look in Ignis' eyes as Prompto picked Noctis apart, the sound of his voice, the way Noctis had felt beneath him, _Astrals_...But his smile faded a little. He'd seemed okay with it at the time, but what if Ignis didn't like the idea of Prompto and Noctis together? The two had history, after all, and Prompto had practically begged him to stay.

Jason put his forehead in his hand, smothering his eyes but doing nothing to hide the pained grimace on his lips. "This is so messed up," he mumbled, almost inaudibly. Prompto had to agree. They really should have talked about it more. The longer they left it hanging, the more insecure Prompto felt, a heavy pit in his gut making him nauseous when he thought about it. Ignis didn't say anything about him, and Prompto was a little afraid to show him affection because of it.

Jason addressed him clearly then, dropping his hand, though his face was still pinched with confusion. Prompto couldn't blame him. He was pretty vexed himself. "Okay, well, I think we'll have some time for you guys to talk it over tonight. Who knows, maybe all of you will make up and join one big happy pack." He said it with sarcasm, but it was lost on Prompto, who lit up at the statement.

Prompto gave a startled laugh. Now that was an idea, one that sent a little thrill of excitement up and down his spine. "Dude, that would really be something! It's super rare for an _amor quattuor_ to stay together, though." His heart fell a little. Especially for him. He never expected even one person to like him, let alone Noctis, Ignis _and_ Gladio, the three he cared about most in this world, to love him like _that_. If Ignis made up with Gladio, then the three of them would probably decide someone like Prompto wasn't worth the trouble.

 _Noctis said he loves you,_ Prompto thought, but he shook it off. They were all saying a lot of things. The other night was incredible, and the past few week more than he could ever have hoped for. He should just be grateful he even got that much...Now that Ignis was back with Noctis, Prompto should back off. Noctis would always be his best friend, and Prompto was okay with that.

He was.

When he looked back up, Jason was just staring at him. Prompto tilted his head questioningly. "So, I have to know. Is it common in this world to have more than one lover? And what was that word you said? Armorcatro?"

Prompto wasn't exactly sure he understood the question. There Jason was again, asking strange things. He was so mysterious sometimes, different enough from the rest of them that at times it was almost as if they were speaking different languages. Sometimes, they were, actually. Like, what was 'money' _?_ And who the heck was this 'Christ' he kept invoking? " _Amor quattuor?_ Well, I dunno what the _exact_ translation is, but it's just a super formal way of saying four lovers. And, yeah? I mean, four is kinda rare, but it's pretty common for people to seek out others until their relationship is _totius_." At Jason's blank look, Prompto laced his fingers together and held them over his heart. "It means whole. Are...you saying that's not how it is where you come from?"

Jason laughed incredulously. "No. Most cultures only accept monogamy, and only between a man and a woman at that. Things are changing slowly for same-gender couples, but it's still considered somewhat taboo in most places. To have a polyamorous relationship–and between men? It's almost unheard of, scorned even."

Prompto was appalled. "But. _Why?_ Why would anyone care about same-gender lovers? And what if your relationship isn't complete without your _alii_?"

Jason ran a hand through his hair, looking to the sky as if seeking answers there, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like 'need a freaking dictionary…'. Prompto, not for the first time, was feeling as though they were speaking on different wavelengths. "I could ask you the same things. How on earth does a relationship with _three people_ work, let alone _more?_ Don't you guys get jealous? As for the same gender thing, well….there's a long history behind that. I feel like we'd be here all day if we got into it."

With a shake of his head, Jason continued to brush through his hair, a lot more successfully than he had been earlier. Without all the tangles, it fell just past his shoulders in long waves. Once he'd done that, he tied back his bangs with one of his new rubber bands, leaving the rest to hang on his shoulders. He looked better, more refreshed without it hanging in his face. He gave Prompto a smile, dark brown eyes glinting with little flecks of caramel, Prompto noticed for the first time. They were brighter, unobscured. "Anyway, I'm sure you guys will work it out. At the very least, there's no way Noctis isn't into you. He told you he loved you, for Christ's sake! It'll be alright."

"Heh. You say the weirdest stuff sometimes," Prompto smiled back a little tremulously, reassured by the warmth in Jason's eyes. "Yeah. Yeah! You're probably right." The world Jason came from sounded kind of sad. And lonely. Prompto couldn't imagine being so limited in who he could love. Compared to that, his relationship problems didn't seem so bad. They might be at war, and he might not know quite where he stood, but at least he was _allowed_ to love them.

Although he changed his mind a little when he spotted Noctis and Ignis making their way towards them. They were walking close, each carrying a brown bag in one hand and absorbed in conversation. Prompto couldn't help but notice how beautiful they looked together. Without him.

Jason nudged him in the side, and when Prompto looked at him, he nodded towards the two with a reassuring smile. "Go on. I bet you anything that if you went up and took both their hands, they wouldn't push you away." He pushed Prompto, who stumbled forward. "Go on, git!"

"Okay, okay!" Prompto was about to do just that when he paused. "Hey, Jase. Thanks. You're a good friend." He smiled fondly at the man. They might not be in the best circumstances, but Prompto was genuinely glad Jason was here.

Jason looked surprised by his words before scowling playfully, shooing Prompto away. Prompto happily did so, practically skipping to his to l-lovers–Yeah, lovers. He could say it to himself now. It would be alright.

Yeah, Prompto was glad Jason was here, and not just because he could help them prevent the tragedies looming over them like a violent storm in the distance. Even as tumultuous as Eos was becoming, if Jason's world was as he said, then maybe he was better off here.

Taking a bracing breath, Prompto shook off his fears and Ignis and Noctis with a smile. Without hesitation, he slipped between them, not settling until both of their empty hands were warm and reassuring in his.

Noctis startled, surprised, but smiled soon enough. "Hey, chocobo. Have fun shopping?"

"Yes," Ignis said as well, doing nothing to pull his hand back. Something eased in Prompto a little as he wasn't rebuffed. Far from it, actually. Ignis squeezed his hand a little, giving him a tiny reserved smile, and his heart jumped. "Jason looks a little better. Did you find everything he needed?"

Prompto blinked, surprised. OH! That was why they didn't invite him along. He felt a little silly, now. With a wide grin, he nodded, warmed that Ignis and Noctis hadn't just been ignoring Jason's needs. They'd trusted Prompto to take care of it, probably because the blond was the person Jason was most comfortable around. Suddenly Prompto was reading Gladio's concerned look in a new light. Heh. He'd been in on it too.

Noctis frowned a little, but it was without heat. He avoided Prompto's gaze. "That's...good," he said grudgingly, and Prompto nudged him in the side playfully, bringing Noctis' smile back. Huh. Maybe it wouldn't be as hard for Jason and Noctis to get along as he thought.

-o0o-

Jason watched as Prompto practically skipped down the street to meet Noctis and Ignis, who meandered closer, in no rush. He shook his head as Prompto squeezed in between them, taking both of their hands as if it were no big deal, showing none of the trepidation he had shown Jason only moments before.

Ignis smiled easily in that reserved way of his, doing nothing to shake Prompto off or expressing any annoyance at his presence. And as Jason predicted, Noctis' eyes lit up as they did every time he looked at the blond, though Prompto seemed willfully ignorant of it. Maybe because that's the way Noctis had always looked at him.

The Prince looked good that way. Happy. It was an expression Jason never expected to see turned in his direction, that was for certain. And it was no wonder why: Jason always gave him nothing but bad news. When he looked at his friends though...Yeah.

Now if only he would get that dumb hair out of his face and give his rather striking eyes some light, Jason might even consider him handsome. Grudgingly, of course.

The three meandered down the road as a unit now, hands joined and Prompto swinging them playfully at his sides. Ignis said something with an indulgent smile and Prompto lit up like the sun, laughing loudly. They looked good together, Jason had to admit, despite his reservations about the nature of their relationship. He had been raised dramatically different after all.

A hazy image of the encounter Prompto described rose unbidden in Jason's mind–Ignis watching, maybe from across the room, while Prompto pinned Noctis beneath him–Jason shook his head, banishing the image with an incredulous flush of his cheeks. He did _not_ need to be thinking about them that way. Not if he wanted to keep his sanity.

They were...friends now. He thought. At least, Jason felt that way. He shook his head, smiling a little when Prompto laughed again, open and bright.

Jason marveled how a man with so little self esteem managed to be so carefree when it came to sex–Jason still couldn't get over what had allegedly happened the other night, jeezus–but seemed to scoff at the idea that anyone could actually love him. It was absurd, if for no other reason than Prompto seemed like a really easy man to love.

Jason twirled his new comb in his hands absently, one of the very few luxuries he'd been afforded for weeks, looking around out of curiosity to see what the reactions of the townsfolk were. But the three hardly got a glance, other than a woman who smiled at them fondly as they passed her flower stand. Incredible. This world really was something else. Just another reason to want to protect it, he mused.

Prompto was lucky. They all were.

"Yo," Gladio greeted, walking up to the car where Jason lounged. He was grinning when Jason looked over, amusement lining his features, and Jason found himself smiling back with ease, something that he didn't think was possible only a couple days ago. It was easy to see the friendliness in Gladio's eyes when his own weren't clouded by fear. "Well, well, well, you clean up nice, baby face."

Jason scoffed. This guy was relentless. "If by 'clean up nice', you mean 'you look better without that rat's nest on top of your head', then yeah, I guess I probably look a bit better."

"Hm. Was wondering when you were going to do something about that. You look good." Casual compliment delivered as if it were no big deal, Gladio waved at the three men, who'd stalled at the flower shop, Prompto chatting animatedly about something or other. Ignis noticed and the three made their way over.

Jason glanced surreptitiously out of the corner of his eye at Gladio. Huh. Even though the man's supposed lover was clearly with two other men, he didn't seem jealous in the least. He wondered idly about what Prompto had revealed about this world, and if Gladio would actually join them.

He couldn't imagine it. Well, he _could_ , but certainly not long term. Then again, if his past relationships taught him anything, he couldn't even imagine himself having a successful relationship with one person, let alone _three_. Or more. How did they do it? How did they control the jealousy, the fear that they would be left behind for someone else?

But, wait, Noctis had been jealous of Jason, when he'd gotten close to Prompto, but not the others. Maybe that was because Noctis considered Ignis and Gladio a part of his–what had Prompto called it? _Amor quattuor_? He really needed to take notes or he wasn't ever going to know what the heck they were talking about. That kind of explained it, though. Jason wasn't a part of that. He was just glad Noctis didn't seem threatened by him so much any more.

Incredible. This world really was turning out to be something completely different than the Eos he knew. He wondered just how much he actually knew of this place, and what else about this world would surprise him.

In any case, Jason decided he would stay out of their way tonight so they could talk things over. It sucked that he probably wouldn't get any sleep for a second night in a row, but. He hadn't wanted to bother them last night, butting into a conversation he had no right to hear. Especially not after the way he'd seen them, connected in solidarity during his tale, then holding each other in sleep as if being so close was their natural state; always had been, always would be, like a tapestry woven together to make a whole work of art. Heh. _Toitus_. So he'd stayed out of it. Jason wasn't the kind of man to get in the way of other people's happiness, especially not Prompto's. The dude deserved every happiness that came his way. He smiled a little, folding the comb and slipping it into his new duffle.

Besides, he had a lot to think about. They had a tentative plan now, and that was great, and he had no doubt that now that it was out in the open, the five of them–six, including Cor–would be able to figure out some way to defeat Ardyn.

But he still hadn't told Prompto about his origins. Jason sighed, withdrawing into himself again as he got back into the Regalia, completely oblivious to the other four's chatter.

What the hell was he going to tell Prompto?

-o0o-

AN: Jason and Prompto seem to have more in common than they think. Silly boys.

Bit of world building there, along with a heap of character development. I think it was fun to have that conversation from Prompto's perspective. Lol, can you guys imagine what was going through Jason's head? Cultural differences y'all. I live for them. If anyone was wondering, Jason was raised Christian. But you've probably guessed that, based on his choice of curses. I'm having a lot of fun with the idea of 'lost in translation'. :)

 _amor quattuor–_ the love of four

 _Toitus–_ whole (I totally pictured Namine saying "It means you'll be whole!" when I wrote it lol)

 _alii–_ others

...I don't know anything about Latin. The only reason I did it in another language was because I wanted not only the idea for the relationship dynamics to be foreign, but the words as well. Feels more romantic that way :) I just google translated the phrase 'the love of four' to see what it would come up with. If it's wrong, someone please correct me. PLEASE!

Next Chapter: Jason gives the guys some space. Gladio has a decision to make.

...I just want my bbs to be happy.


	23. Communication

**AN: Get ready to have your hearts broken, y'all. I'm not kidding. Writing this chapter made me fucking cry. At the same time, there's a lot of fluff, so don't be too scared :). Here's to the attempt at writing in Ignis' voice. Explicit sexual content ahead.**

Ignis bartered almost absentmindedly with the clerk in the general store in the small outpost they'd stopped at, mouth on autopilot as he navigated the best deal for the valuables they had harvested for their hunts that day. The evening was lengthening after a long day of foraging and Ignis should be focusing on the task at hand as it would determine the next few days should he perform poorly. But he found himself...preoccupied.

And it was no wonder. The past month had been tumultuous, to put it mildly. Finding out his beloved prince was getting married, leaving Insomnia and all of the events since, supernatural or otherwise, would have anyone's mind in a deadlock. Least of which was learning of the horrible possibilities of their future, should they fail.

But it wasn't necessarily those things that had him feeling numb, even if he found himself staring at things just a little too long, marveling at the details of the world like he never had before.

Ignis had no illusions that he was quicker than the average person. He had been selected for it at a young age, molded into a worthy advisor for the future king. Perhaps even bred for it, but he preferred to believe that it was a choice, that he'd gained his position by his efforts and his genuine desire to become what Noctis needed most. That line of thinking had made it easier, over the years, to accept the sacrifices he had made in his life to achieve what he truly believed to be his Calling.

And the sacrifices had been many.

He stared out into the sunset, marveling at the nuances in the colors, the reflections off the nebulous clouds drifting above an indistinct silhouette of trees. Even through the dingy window of the shop it seemed perfect to Ignis, idyllic even, and the monotonous drone of the salesclerk faded into the background in his renewed wonder. It made his chest ache, how beautiful it was, with an intensity that surprised him. Normally, something so commonplace as a sunset wouldn't have affected Ignis so, ever the pragmatic thinker, but one of the revelations of late that had bothered him most was that his days in the light may very well be numbered. So he absorbed it now while he could, because he knew in his heart and mind that if worse came to worst, he _would_ make that sacrifice. Without hesitation.

To protect and to guide Noctis was his Calling. Nothing else mattered.

Even if it made his heart quicken in fear, chest aching with a fierce denial that permeated his entire being, survival instincts rearing up to choke him so that at times it made it nearly impossible to breathe.

"...but I could make a concession if you decided to throw in the bluette shells–"

"That won't be possible," Ignis said, eyes focusing sharply back on the task at hand. The salesperson jumped a little at his abrupt return of attention, gulping as he realized that Ignis hadn't been as easy a mark as he'd assumed. "The bluette shells are worth twice what you're offering, and their rarity in this region would, if anything, increases their value thirty percent. My previous offer stands. Refuse and I walk." Ignis waited confidently as the clerk seemed to waver, knowing he would concede. Ignis' demands were fair and, as he'd stated, the materials he offered were something a man such as this–balding, ruddy faced, and soft, in no shape for fighting–would be hard pressed to find without going to the trouble of hiring a few hunters. Going by the rather sad state of his storefront, it was obvious he couldn't afford it. Ignis resisted staring out the window again.

"You drive a hard bargain, sir. You have yourself a deal."

This sacrifice is nothing, Ignis thought as the trade was finalized, nothing compared to what Noctis would sacrifice for them all. It was absurd that he should fixate on his own potential misfortune in the face of the things that truly mattered. Noctis was relying on him to solve this, before anyone got hurt. And it might not even come to pass. He had time to figure this out. He just needed to think.

Just needed to think…

He left the store, walking across the street slowly, approaching the small food truck where he'd left his companions. He watched with wondering eyes as they relaxed at a worn wooden table, talking to each other companionably. Noctis and Prompto were resting back to back, the youngest of their group facing Jason as he talked animatedly and Noctis snoozing against his shoulder, face serene and relaxed as it so rarely was these dark days. Gladio stood with his hip rested against the table, watching their surroundings with an ear cocked to the conversation, smiling every once in a while to something Prompto or Jason said.

Ignis truly didn't have anything to complain about. In fact, these past weeks were the happiest he can say he's been in the years since Noctis unequivocally rejected him, despite all of the hardships. Because with Ignis and Noctis' reconciliation, Ignis felt more whole than he'd remembered experiencing in a very long time, a quiet glow in his chest ever present.

He had Noctis' _love_ again, despite his heinous mistake in their youth, despite how irrevocably he'd hurt him. Ignis had broken Noctis' trust in seeking to educate himself as a courtesan–no matter how he'd thought he'd needed the instruction at the time to please Noctis, he'd ended up doing the exact opposite–and the pain in his prince's face when he'd found out was such that Ignis believed he would never be forgiven, even if back then he didn't know why.

Noctis shifted a little as Ignis watched, leaning more firmly into Prompto's back, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips. Ignis waited reflexively for the cold ache he'd been carrying for years to emerge, but the warmth in his chest was not dimmed: in fact, grew until his limbs were suffused with it, like a blanket of the softest silk surrounded him in a pleasurable caress. He marveled at the absence of pain, lips lifting to an expression to mirror that of Noctis' before he could suppress it.

When Noctis had turned away from Ignis, claiming that he loved some lowborn commoner, of all people, it may have been the cruelest thing Noctis could have done. Ignis had believed it to be a punishment for his sins, a way for Noctis to give Ignis the same pain that he, himself, had felt. But in his heart, Ignis didn't truly believe that Noctis had discarded him so easily.

To find out that Noctis hadn't lied in the slightest in his proclamation of love for another, that he had deliberately closed all avenues of redemption for Ignis…it had driven Ignis into the worst depression he had ever endured.

Dark days followed the prince's choice, and Ignis found himself shutting down little by little as Noctis laid poetic of his new love and began to spend more and more time with Prompto. In that time, Ignis became little more than a reminder of his burdens of responsibilities, a nag that dimmed Noctis' smile and bowed his shoulders every time Ignis opened his mouth.

To be reduced to such, when they had shared so much since the moment they met and Noctis had held his hand in his, had smiled at him with so much trust...it had nearly broken Ignis to fail so utterly. If it hadn't been for Gladio's intervention, Ignis could only imagine he'd have become little more than a shell of a man, a cold machine of intellect that could only fulfill his administrative duties, could only be half of what he was meant to be.

Efficient. Empty.

It was only through months of compartmentalizing, of building himself up from scratch with Gladiolus' firm touch that Ignis could begin to let go of his pain and come out in the open again. It had taken accepting what had happened, realizing that his withdrawal had been entirely selfish and that he couldn't continue to neglect his Calling just for something as trivial as a broken heart. He needed to become what Noctis needed, and to do that...he'd had to let him go.

So he'd rid himself of his anger as well, and Prompto became someone Ignis cared for deeply, his blinding innocence and easy laughter worming their way into Ignis' heart with almost frightening ease, soothing his hurt until it was little more than a cold ague in his chest. It was actually an easy thing to do, to come to love Prompto. How could he not, when Prompto's light was a pure antithesis to the pain in his heart? How could he not when Prompto made Noctis so happy?

To see how Prompto completed Noctis, how he made him smile when Noctis had little reason to in his isolated life, when Prompto became what Ignis had failed to be...that was enough for Ignis to accept things as they were, and even be happy for his prince without the bitterness that had poisoned him from the inside out.

It was ironic then, that the man who Ignis had almost come to despise, who he'd burned with jealousy for to the point where he might have harmed him given the chance in his darkest moments, was the very one who'd been the catalyst for Noctis' forgiveness. Prompto, bright eyed and faultlessly kind in everything he did, had immediately recognized the fatal misunderstanding between Noctis and himself and had corrected it with an astounding effortlessness that Ignis would never have achieved in his wildest dreams. That such an integral piece of Noctis' happiness had been willing to step aside for someone as unworthy as Ignis had shaken him to his core, even as Noctis' forgiveness had finally mended the remaining pieces of Ignis' shattered heart till only the scars remained. Now, unbelievably, Ignis had both the man who was Ignis' purpose in life and the man who had restored it accepting him into their bond, allowing Ignis to share in their love where he'd previously believed he'd had no place.

No, Ignis had nothing to complain about. Even if he loses his sight, his limbs, his very life, the happiness he felt now would make it all worth it.

When Ignis arrived to the table, quietly emerging from the shadows of the street, the streetlamps just turning on in the darkness of the night, he arrived unnoticed to all accept Gladio. When Gladiolus caught sight of the expression on Ignis' face that he could not hide no matter how his reserved nature begged him to suppress it, Gladio smiled. Without jealousy and without regret, Ignis' confident, his lover, his best friend shared in his happiness, even as he moved aside to allow Ignis by to meet his new and restored love.

Ignis walked past him, placing a gentle hand on the larger man's shoulder, the understanding between them enough that no words were needed. Silently, Ignis thanked Gladio for shielding the remains of his heart so that, when the time came, Ignis had something left to Give.

-o0o-

It was getting late. Ignis glanced at the sun as he loaded the final bag of groceries into the trunk of the Regalia. They would need to leave now in order to make it to the haven in time. Ignis had insisted that they still use the havens, even though they had enough money to rent a room at the small motel at the edge of town. He was loathe to set them back even slightly in their savings for Jason's armor, something Ignis believed they would be needing sooner than any of them suspected. Still, though the sun began to slip behind the horizon, he waited, having sensed a while ago that Jason had something he wanted to ask him in private. The man had been shifting in place, slipping glances at Ignis every time he believed himself unobserved, a tick that Ignis was certain went unnoticed by the rest of their party.

Sure enough, a light cough behind Ignis caught his attention, and considering the others wouldn't hesitate to reach out and touch his shoulder, it could only be one person, the only one in their group who seemed to shy from physical touch not initiated by someone other than himself. Closing the trunk lid with a quick snick of the latch, Ignis turned around and regarded the man. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the rest of their group a small distance away, chatting about something just out of earshot.

Jason shifted a bit nervously in place, hands shoved into his pockets and looking terribly uncomfortable. It was the same look he gave Ignis every time he asked for something that might cost money, as if Jason didn't believe that he had just as much right to use the groups funds as any of them. Ignis guessed that that probably stemmed from the short amount of time Jason was considered a prisoner, a decision that Ignis regretted, for his part. Now that he had traveled with them for a while, Jason's genuine desire to do them no harm had become apparent, making the whole exercise a pointless ordeal, one that may take a while for Jason to heal from. Ignis surmised it wasn't entirely that, however. Jason probably had some sort of aversion to asking others for help from the very start.

"Ignis, um." Jason spoke quietly, as if concerned about being overheard. It was a side of him, this nervousness, that had been unfortunately prevalent in the short amount of time Ignis had known him. Ignis wondered idly if it was a true facet of his personality or a result of all of the recent trauma he'd been made to endure. He wondered what Jason was like unconstrained by the stress that had clearly been weighing him.

Ignis had only seen brief flashes of a man with a sharp wit and friendly eyes, one for whom jokes came easily and smiles easier. He seemed a little better, at least, after his time with Prompto during the day, hair pulled back and eyes reflecting tiny flashes of sunlight from within the dark brown. As Ignis suspected, Prompto had gotten him to open up just a little bit more, had provided for Jason a little bit of what he needed, things that Jason might have completely rejected had it come from anyone else.

It made it a little more worth the tiny flash of hurt he'd detected from the easily discouraged blond, one that he would correct later. Thoroughly. If Ignis guessed what Jason was about to ask correctly, then he might just get that chance.

"What can I do for you?" Ignis prompted when Jason remained quiet for a few moments.

"I was wondering if I might stay in town tonight," Jason said in a rush, wincing as if expecting to be immediately rebuffed. The way he asked, as if Ignis were his guardian, or more disturbingly, his jailor, saddened him a litte. Jason clearly believed that he had lost his autonomy, even after they had released him from his temporary imprisonment.

"You don't need to ask my permission to do anything you wish to do, Jason," Ignis said gently. Jason only looked more unsure after he'd said that, and Ignis sighed internally, knowing that he was only reaping what they had sown. Deciding that the only way Jason would truly begin to believe his words was through action, Ignis pulled out the wallet containing all of the groups funds not stored in the armiger and handed it over. "This should be enough for a room in the motel, dinner, and any necessities you might need to buy," he spoke over Jason's immediate protests, finishing with, "Please only buy things within reason, as we need to conserve most of our funds to buy you some more suitable protection."

"What's up Iggy? Sending Jason on a shopping trip?" Gladio walked up, Prompto and Noctis on his heels, right on cue to cut off Jason's words. Jason jumped, clearly not having noticed their approach, and then made an aborted attempt to almost hide the wallet before sense caught up with him, a guilty look flashing across his face.

"Uh. Nevermind Ignis, I can just–"

"Jason has decided to stay in town this evening." Ignis ignored Jason's words, turning to Gladio.

"Wait, hold on," Prompto said, not seeming to notice Jason's tension. "Is this about what we talked about earlier, Jase? You don't have to do that!"

At Prompto's words, Jason seemed to come to a decision, a soft smile overtaking his features. Ignis noted it with interest, as it was an expression only Prompto seemed to invoke in the dark haired man. "Don't worry about it, Prom! While I'm out of the way, you guys can do your thing and I get a comfy bed for the first time in weeks. It's a win, win!"

Ah. So Jason was attempting to give the four of them space to talk. Jason had apparently noticed the change in all of their behavior since the other night when Noctis, Prompto and Ignis returned from the hotel. Either that or Prompto had simply told him, the more likely scenario judging by Prompto's words. Ignis wondered how much Prompto had revealed…

Prompto looked a bit unsure, but his smile soon matched Jason's. "Thanks, buddy." Noctis narrowed his eyes a little, but held his peace, no doubt having no problem with Jason going on his own for a while. A determined expression settled over Noctis' features then, a small glance out of the corner of his eye at Gladio speaking volumes. Ignis knew what he was thinking, and it concerned him that Noctis seemed determined to rush into something none of them were ready for. It wasn't to be tonight, in any case, as Gladio caught Ignis' eyes, a tight frown pulling at his features.

Understanding the look Gladio was sending him loud and clear, he spoke up. "I'm a little concerned about you leaving you on your own, Jason."

Ignis didn't miss the flash of suspicion, almost resignation on Jason's face at that admission, as if he'd suspected he wouldn't be truly allowed to go on his own. It was a downside Ignis was willing to accept, however, because he would not risk Jason's safety, even if a little trust Ignis was trying to gain ended up sacrificed.

"I'll stay with him," Gladio announced predictably, mouth a firm line.

"What? Why?" Jason and Noctis said almost at the same time, a look of conflict warring on Prompto's features. Jason looked more cautious than angry, but Noctis looked seconds from outright rebellion.

"We don't know if Ardyn knows our whereabouts, and he may try something if we're separated." Ignis said reasonably.

"Yeah," Gladio added, "And besides, you guys hardly need a fourth wheel."

"What? You aren't–" Noctis started strongly, but Gladio shook his head.

"No, Noct. Trust me on this, it's better if I stay out of y'alls way tonight."

"That's not…" Prompto said, clearly distressed, but Ignis would back Gladio up on this.

"Gladio is right," he said gently but firmly, particularly to Noctis. "The three of us have much to discuss before we proceed any further." Noctis' brows were drawn together, but Ignis' eyes were unyielding in this. Slowly, Noctis closed his mouth, looking away. He nodded. Prompto, taking Noctis' cue, dropped it as well.

"I guess we'll see you guys in the morning?" Prompto asked.

Jason, who'd been silently watching the exchange with a vaguely uncomfortable frown, snapped out of if and smiled. "Yeah, guess me and Gladio will hang out here. You guys do what you need to do."

"C'mon," Gladio said, nudging Jason's shoulder with an easy smile. "I spotted some food trucks a little that way. If we're going to splurge anyway, might as well indulge."

As they walked away, a bit of an uncomfortable silence fell over the three remaining. "That was...cool of him, I guess," Noctis said, staring after the two as they disappeared around the corner. "What did you tell him, Prom?"

"Oh, pretty much everything that happened the other night. I didn't tell him anything personal about you and Ignis though, I swear!" Prompto added hastily at Noctis' frown. "Come on, dude, he would have found out eventually. I mean, it's totally obvious we're together now!" He hesitated, looking at Ignis earnestly through blond lashes. "We...are together now, right?" Ignis frowned slightly. They had more to discuss than he'd thought.

"Of course we are," Noctis sighed, answering the question and not noticing it hadn't been directed at him. He glared after the two of them again, even though they weren't in sight anymore. "I don't like this…"

"Come on," Ignis said, " We can discuss this at camp. We need to hurry if we want to get there before daemons start to appear."

The drive to the campsite was quiet, each of the three men absorbed in their own thoughts. Prompto had taken the seat beside Noctis, probably unconsciously, even though Jason wasn't there to occupy the seat he used to take. It left Ignis to his own devices, and he tried, during the short trip to the site, to align in his mind exactly how he was going to handle this.

Prompto's insecurities were obvious. Both Noctis and Ignis had noticed the slight way he hesitated to initiate affection with either of them since their–perhaps a bit ill-advised–sexual encounter. Ignis could only assume it was because they hadn't yet had the chance to discuss just what they meant to each other. That was more or less easily rectified. Noctis and Ignis just had to tell him their intentions.

Noctis and his situation though, that was a little more complicated. Both of them had the incident that had separated them in the first place to overcome, and they couldn't just start where they'd left off. They'd been changed for the experience, and not necessarily for the better. It wasn't only that, however. The fact that Noctis had been through so much lately seemed to be skewing his judgement and making him believe that he needed to rush into a relationship that he simply wasn't ready for. Thinking, perhaps, that if he didn't have Gladio join them that he would never get the chance.

And while he may be correct, none of them were ready a fourth. They hadn't even established themselves as a _tria_ yet, and Ignis knew at this point what Gladio's answer would be if asked.

Noctis' inexperience with relationships in general was another matter to consider. As a prince, he'd never had the opportunity to have one, save for the very short relationship with Ignis that had ended in disaster, though not entirely through fault of his own. In the end, their greatest downfall had been lack of communication. With clear eyes, Ignis could see now the obvious. Ignis had gone behind Noctis' back to educate himself in areas that clearly made Noctis uncomfortable, and Noctis, in turn, shut him out without ever telling him why. The very fact that Noctis seemed determined to ask Gladiolus to join them without even discussing it with Ignis and Prompto only highlighted his inexperience with a true relationship and the fact that he didn't recognize the mistakes of his past. Ignis knew doing so now would most likely shatter anything they could have together before it could begin.

Gladio was right to distance himself as he did. Even if Ignis more than suspected those weren't his only reasons.

They arrived at the camp just as the final sun's rays disappeared from the sky. Ignis exited the Regalia, Noctis and Prompto following suit silently. Prompto looked as if he wanted to say something, but the atmosphere was somewhat tense, discouraging him. His nervousness mounted visibly and Noctis, in contrast, withdrew into himself, neither of them certain how to approach the subject. With a sigh, Ignis realized that he may have to be the one to lead in this. For some reason, it had been so much easier the other night for them to communicate. Well. Perhaps easy wasn't the word. Prompto did have to use subterfuge to trick Noctis into finally revealing what had really happened between them, and then the three of them jumped right into sex, where desires become more obvious. But that couldn't happen again, not until they'd had a real discussion.

It occured to Ignis then that Prompto may be just as inexperienced as Noctis when it came to relationships. Something to think about.

Step one. Put his two nervous lovers at ease.

Striding up the hill onto the haven, behaving as normally as possible, Ignis gestured to the campsite. "Noct, if you would? I'd like to get dinner started."

"Er, right," Noctis said, clearly surprised by the complete avoidance of the subject at hand. With a gesture their gear was summoned, the majority falling into a neat pile on the edge of the haven, tied together as it always was when they stored it in the armiger. Ignis immediately set to work untying the bundle and pulling his table and stove out. He looked over his shoulder, raising a brow at their loitering forms.

"Well? Are you two going to help, or would you rather sleep on the ground tonight?"

As if coming out of a daze, Prompto grinned, reassured by Ignis' relaxed form. "R-right! Sorry, Ignis!" As Ignis turned his back to set up his work station, Noctis and Prompto began to set up the tent. After a moment without Ignis' attention on them, they quickly fell back into their usual banter.

"Ugh, how does Gladio always set this up so fast?"

"Heh, Noct, buddy, I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be turned the other way."

"Prom, not there–!"

"Woah!" A rustling of cloth and a snap, and then Noctis and Prompto were laughing. Carefully, Ignis arranged his ingredients in order one by one. Something simple tonight should suffice, something all three of them enjoyed. No vegetables then, unfortunately...Some skewers caught his eye, and Ignis plucked them from the pile, selecting the correct ingredients and putting the rest away.

"Uh, Iggy, I think we broke–"

"No! No, we've got this, Specs, don't worry about it."

With a small smirk, Ignis ignored them, sliding the skewers into slices of meat before setting them aside to begin the dry rub. He allowed himself to relax, letting the normalcy of the situation wash over him. He felt a small pang of longing for the days when Noctis' apartment was the refuge from the burdens of their lives, but dismissed it easily. Tonight was for determining the future, not reminiscing on the past.

It appeared that Noctis and Prompto weren't the only ones nervous.

A warm form sidled up to Ignis' side, Prompto's blonde hair coming into vision to peer around his shoulder at the sizzling meat. He was careful not to touch Ignis directly, just standing near him. A muttered cursing could be heard from the other side of the camp, Noctis clearly still struggling with the tent. Ignis withheld a sigh, amused, despite himself.

"Mm, Iggy, this looks great! What is it?"

"Just some simple skewers," Ignis replied absently, finding himself a little distracted by Prompto's proximity. "They're nearly finished. Why don't you set up the fire and I'll bring them over." Prompto nodded slowly, seeming a bit preoccupied, before looking up at Ignis through blond lashes. He stood close enough for Ignis to count every individual freckle that peppered his cheekbones, and there was something coquettish about his gaze, even if it was tinged with nervousness.

"Iggy, I…" he drew one of his thin lips between his teeth, and Ignis had a feeling about what he was trying to say. To assuage his fears, Ignis turned off the stove and faced him, sliding a hand against one of Prompto's flushing cheeks, thumb drawing a wandering path through the freckles that mesmerized him so.

"I know, love. Let's get comfortable, and then we can talk." Something bright sparked in Prompto's baby blues at the endearment, something wondering and unsure tugging at the corner of his mouth. Prompto leaned into Ignis' touch, skin warm even through the leather of his gloves.

Though he was loathe to do it, Ignis withdrew his hand, returning to his preparations. The second he turned his gaze from Prompto, however, the man lunged into his personal space, a fluttering kiss placed on Ignis' cheek before he was gone.

"Noct, that doesn't even look like a tent, man! What did you do to it?"

"Urgh, shut up and help me, dammit!"

As the conversation faded into the background, Ignis stood stock still for several seconds. He could feel the heat rising in his body, stemming from somewhere deep in his chest, and were he a man who blushed easily, it would have painted his cheekbones red. As it was, he needed a moment to compose himself before he could will his hands to move again. It was astonishing how such an innocent gesture could get a rise out of him, when he had been through so much sexually, especially after what the three of them had already shared. And yet. Even during that encounter, Prompto and Ignis had not touched directly. No, Ignis' principles and his loyalty to Gladio had prevented him from allowing himself to truly join, only watching as two of the men pleasured each other. That brief kiss that Prompto just gifted him was the first true romantic gesture they had shared. With a tiny smile, Ignis filed the memory away for later.

It wasn't long after that that the three of them sat around the campfire, enjoying a meal together in quiet company. Noctis had eventually managed to get the tent to function, much to Ignis' surprise. It stood to the side, flaps firmly closed to prevent any flying insects inside, though one of it's poles looked a tad bent out of shape. Ignis supposed he should be grateful the prince hadn't set it on fire.

But the night was still young.

"Soooo," Prompto finally said, breaking the silence that none of them had been quite willing to breach. He sounded much more assured than he had been before, and Ignis felt glad that one small act could put him at ease. He resolved to make these gestures more often in the future. "Are we going to talk about what happened the other night? You know, before Jase told us about the end of the world."

"Wow, Prom, way to ruin the mood. I had almost forgotten." Noctis said dryly. He bit into the skewer in his hand with a hum, no doubt pleased at the lack of vegetables impinging on his protein.

"Well, then, let me give you something you can think about instead," Prompto said, a bit mischievously, "Like the way you went nuts over that thing I did with my hands–"

Noctis choked on his food, glowering at Prompto even as a blush painted his pale skin. Ignis cleared his throat, drawing their attention before they could be diverted from the subject.

"Yes, I agree with Prompto. We do need to discuss what happened between us, and whether we want what is happening to stop or continue."

Noctis shifted. "Isn't it obvious? We slept together!"

Prompto shook his head. "It's not obvious to me," he said quietly. Noctis gave him a surprised glance, brows furrowing a little.

"I don't think it is obvious. Quite the contrary." Ignis gave him a bit of a stern look. He knew this next part would be difficult for Noctis, as he'd always had a bit of trouble expressing his feelings. "While we did reconcile, we never discussed what happened between us in the past, and that isn't something we can just set aside."

"What's there to talk about?" Noctis flicked his eyes away nervously, a surelyness seeping into his voice, most likely involuntarily. "I thought you were sleeping with me only because you had to, and I overreacted." He pinched his lips shut, avoiding Ignis' eyes, clearly wishing to drop the subject.

Ignis sighed. "Noct, the fact that you have oversimplified and wish to avoid this subject is the very thing that could poison any interactions between us in the future."

"Fine!" Noctis threw his hands in the air, attempting to hide his trepidations with anger. "So talk. But it doesn't even matter anymore."

Ignis pursed his lips, willing himself not to be hurt by Noctis' careless words, but knew it would only exacerbate the situation if he allowed himself to be provoked. The last thing he wanted was a fight, but Noctis had to learn, or they may never reach a state of trust that is so vital. Prompto was beginning to look uncomfortable, so Ignis gave him a small reassuring smile. "Apologies, Prompto. Please bear with us." He composed himself, setting aside his food and carding his hands together. "I think I need to explain a bit of my reasoning behind my actions back then. You see, I had been under the impression at the time that it would benefit us both if I educated myself in the area of sex."

"You already told me that," Noctis dismissed, flippant.

"Let me finish," Ignis said sharply, allowing a flash of anger to escape through his calm fasade. "This _will not work_ if you allow your discomfort to prevent you from talking about what is truly important, or better yet, listening to others you profess to love. You will not dismiss Prompto, and you will not dismiss me. Are we clear."

Noctis had snapped to attention the second he heard the command in Ignis' voice, a tone he rarely used with him, shock and hurt flashing in his eyes. Prompto jumped as well, and Ignis regretted he had to use such a tone, but this was not one of the times Ignis would tolerate Noctis' tendency to avoid things that discomfited him with rudeness. Too much was at stake, and more than just Ignis' heart was on the line. Once again, he wondered if Noctis was still too immature for such a relationship, but recognized that the only way he would learn was through experience. Besides that, Ignis was more than impatient, and truly wondered if he could go back to the friendship they had before.

But even that friendship had been damaged by the events of the past. No, this needed to be resolved before anyone else got hurt. More gently, he said, "This is the true reason our relationship failed. Neither one of us were willing to express our feelings, and so we fell apart."

Noctis nodded, silent. But when he sat forward in his chair, his eyes were intent, focused. He would not interrupt again. Good. "As I said, I believed it would be a benefit, but that is not the entire truth. Back then, I felt that after your experiences with professionals you would have little use for me, someone who hadn't had any experience in sex at all. I believed for that reason you would discard me." Ignis took a deep breath, finding it hard for him to face Noctis with these admissions. He stared at his hands instead. "That fear pushed me to go to lengths I never would have considered otherwise, but in the end, it was all for naught." He stared directly into Noctis' eyes then. They looked wide, stricken. "I need you to understand, Noctis, that when you withdrew from me without telling me why, I thought that was _exactly what happened._ "

Noctis inhaled sharply, fingers going white as he clenched them harshly between his knees. "Ignis. I–I'm sorry, I had no idea–" He cut himself off, voice breaking and looking as though he didn't know how to continue that statement, but knew instinctively that he had to say _something_. Ignis hated the pain he was causing, its expression so clear across his beloved prince's face. Still, it was necessary, and he couldn't deny the tiny, tiny part of himself that was vindicated by that pain. He immediately let it go, hating himself for that, too.

Ignis' gaze softened. "I'm not telling you this because I want you to feel guilty, Noct. What happened was just as much my fault as it was yours. I went behind your back and did something that made you believe that I didn't want you, and in so doing, hurt you terribly. By not telling you my fears, we _failed_. I need you to recognize our mistakes, and I need you–" I need you, Ignis thought, faltering. He restarted, more slowly, deliberately. "We need to learn from this, and make sure nothing like it ever happens again." Because Ignis wasn't sure he could go through that a second time. He wasn't sure there would be anything of him left.

Abruptly, Noctis stood and crossed the space between them, falling to his knees between Ignis' and taking his face in his hands. Ignis inhaled sharply, shocked Noctis' sudden proximity, the intensity of his eyes. Noctis held his gaze, expression more fierce than Ignis could ever remember seeing it.

"Ignis. You're right. You're right and I'm so, so sorry. I won't ever shut you out again, not _ever._ " Ignis' heart picked up in his chest as the raven leaned in close, touching their foreheads together gently. It was like floodgates opened on Noctis' emotions, so evident were they on his face and his voice, to the point where he trembled with them even as he exuded strength in his touch. "I promise I won't shut you out, a-and I promise to listen. Specs, you mean so much–"

Ignis wanted to hear more. He really did. But suddenly he found his lips reaching out to devour the words he hadn't known he'd so craved, smothering Noctis' voice until it was nothing more than a relieved moan. Noctis gripped his face spasmodically as he pulled Ignis closer, their mouths bumping together almost harshly until Ignis could take those hands in his, gentling his lips until he could feel Noctis calm, willingly giving Ignis the lead. He guided his prince into a more sensuous slide, sinking into it until they were moving as one, tongues tentatively seeking until they were entwined, neither man fighting for dominance nor giving in. Not yet. And it was so devastatingly familiar, the taste, smell, electricity of Noctis that for a split second it was as if nothing had ever happened, as if they were back in the palace three years ago, before it had all fallen apart.

But they weren't, and though Ignis craved nothing more than to pull Noctis into his embrace and never let him go, Noctis was no longer his alone, and this conversation was not over. Reluctantly, feeling almost as though he were severing a part of himself, Ignis slowly pulled back. Noctis tried to follow, a low sound of desperation in the back of his throat, but Ignis held firm, cradling his face gently and withdrawing until he could look Noctis in the eye.

Noctis' eyes were dazed, lips glistening and breaths coming short, and Ignis was fill with such an intense flood of memories at the sight that he nearly gave in to his desires and smothered Noctis till their breaths became one, but a small sound of distress, nearly imperceptible over the rushing in Ignis' ears, had him jerking back. He turned, eyes unerringly locking onto Prompto, heart sinking in horror at what he found. Noctis, after a second of disorientation, looked around as well, freezing rigidly in his kneeled position.

Prompto sat, knees drawn to his chest and arms wrapped around them almost defensively, with tears streaming down his devastated face. And it was if he had been holding back the entire time he had passed unnoticed, because when their eyes finally locked onto him, he let out a choked sob.

"Prompto? What–" Noctis scrambled to his feet in an instant, while Ignis cursed himself for being so inattentive. He should not have got as caught up in Noctis as he did, and now it seemed that Prompto was coming to the entirely wrong conclusions.

Prompto seemed to go limp then, one foot dropping to the ground and the other leg falling to the side to rest on the chair's armrest, hands falling lifelessly into his lap. He dropped his gaze, and Ignis was alarmed to see a smile of resignation overtake his features. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know what's come over me. This is great! Y-you guys made up, a-and–But I–," he whispered, and his smile fell as he let out another choked sob, and Ignis and Noctis exchanged a panicked look. Prompto covered his face with his trembling hands. "Seeing you together like th-this, I–"

"He believes he has no place with us," Ignis said faintly. Dammit. This was precisely the kind of misunderstanding he had been trying to avoid.

"What!" Noctis scrambled across the camp and crouched in front of Prompto, trying vainly to pry Prompto's hands from his face. "Prompto, Prom, no, listen. It's not like that at all! You're my _alii._ "

Prompto just shook his head, shoulders quaking. "But. You two are so in love, I-I can't…Ignis can't possibly love m-me like that, and you love him more s-so–"

Noctis made a wounded noise, prompting Ignis to cross the camp as well, crouching beside Noctis and touching Prompto's shoulder gently. "Prompto, listen very carefully. Noctis loves you, and he has since he met you in high school. There was not a day that went by that he did not say your name, or stare at his phone waiting for your texts, or wonder whether he should buy you every single thing in the kingdom he suspected you might like." Noctis gave Ignis a startled look, but Ignis ignored him. Of course he had noticed.

Slowly, Prompto's hands lowered till a single tear-filled eye could peek. "R-really?"

"Yes," Noctis said emphatically, though he shot accusing glances Ignis' way for revealing just how pathetic he'd been back then. Too bad. A point had to be made.

"Yes," Ignis agreed as well. "It was that very same devotion that convinced me to give up on him."

"But," Prompto's hands fell down the rest of the way, and the distraught blond allowed Noctis to cradle them in his. "Shouldn't you hate me then?"

Ignis bit the inside of his lip, considering. No. He had to tell the truth. There would be no secrets between them if they wanted this to work. "For a time, I did."

"But I love _you,"_ Prompto blurted unexpectedly, taking Ignis aback. Noctis looked equally surprised. "I have since the moment you helped me up that time after training two years ago and treated my dislocated shoulder without judging me 'cause I'm weak and being so nice to me all the time and I think you're beautiful and–but I thought it was impossible, because it's always impossible, no one ever wants _me–"_

Noctis' hand over Prompto's mouth cut off his words abruptly, and ignis might have reprimanded him–he'd told him not to interrupt either of them–but for the grateful expression on Prompto's face. Hm. It seemed that Noctis had done this before. "I think Ignis still had some stuff to say. Specs?"

Ignis nodded, gathering himself. "As I said, I did hate you for a time. But that was before I saw how happy you made Noctis, and before I actually met you. I realized fairly quickly that I couldn't possibly hate you, because… well, because I'd come to like you." There was such a hopeful look in Prompto's eyes then, that it almost hurt to look at him. Ignis soldiered on, however, because it needed to be said. "We may not have as strong a bond as Noctis and I possess, but that's only because we haven't known each other long enough, and an even shorter time than that considered each other romantically. I have no doubt in my mind that, in time, our bond will become just as strong." Ignis smiled then, suddenly. "We've already proven ourselves to be compatible physically."

Prompto laughed then, brokenly at first, but then gaining strength, until he almost sounded back to his normal self. It was a bit hysterical, sure, and Ignis' joke hadn't been all that funny, but emotions had been so high the past hour that Ignis had no doubt it was a response to the almost crushing relief Ignis felt within himself. It hadn't been easy, but everything was out in the open now, and they could move forward, confident in where they stood with each other.

"I have to admit, Specs. You were right." Noctis said, voice having returned to his usual timbre with a note of relief. "This would have blown up in our faces, wouldn't it?"

"To put it mildly."

Ignis stood, feeling his knees pop with an internal wince from crouching down for so long. Still, he felt light, and even the mild discomfort was nothing compared to the relief. Prompto, giggles finally subsiding, stood as well, wrapping his arms around Ignis' neck, eyes bright and intense in a similar way that Noctis' had been minutes before. "Iggy. I love you." Ignis hesitated, but before he could even conceive a response, Prompto's lips were covering his own, the blond's hand lacing through his hair to pull him down and lifting up slightly on his toes to meet Ignis in the middle. Ignis shivered, melting as he closed his eyes and wrapped his own hands around Prompto's waist.

Kissing Prompto was nothing like kissing Noctis. Where Noctis craved others to take the lead, to pull him along in their wake and let go of his burdens of command if only for a little while, Prompto demonstrated a forwardness, almost forcefull in his touch. He pushed forward, as close as he could into Ignis' space as they breathed the same air, kiss turning from chaste relief to a demand for everything Ignis had to give, swallowing his surprised gasp and slipping his tongue to slide enticingly against Ignis' own. It was the same drive he had shown them the night at the hotel, and it had surprised Ignis then as it did now. This assertiveness was such a sharp contrast to Prompto's usually easygoing, almost submissive personality that it made Ignis dizzy, unbalanced, and he found himself giving into it immediately. All too soon, Prompto pulled back a little, and Ignis blinked. There was no hesitation or doubt in Prompto's eyes anymore, and a grin pulled at his features. If it weren't for the dried tear tracks still staining his face, Ignis wouldn't have even guessed that he'd been in distress not moments before.

"You don't have to answer now. When you say it, I want it to be the truth, you know?"

A small stab of guilt hit Ignis hard in the chest then, because Prompto was right. Ignis did love him, as a dear friend he'd loved him for a while. But he'd only just considered the possibility that they could be more, and telling Prompto that he loved him now may ring false because he'd simply not had time to process this change in their status. He had told the truth before. Ignis really did believe that their bond would be strong, but a bond like that couldn't be forced. With a small nod, he leaned down and reclaimed Prompto's mouth, reveling in the tiny groan he got in response.

Noctis chose that moment to press against Prompto's back, snaking his hands over Ignis' to rest on Prompto's hips. The blond startled, jerking in surprise with a gasp but with nowhere to go, pinned firmly between them. At the sound and the deliberate progress of Noctis' hands inching along Prompto's waistband, Ignis felt a forceful flush permeate his entire being, eyes dilating and heart beginning to pound almost painfully in his chest. Already, he could feel himself responding, pants becoming uncomfortably tight as heat pooled at his hips.

"I-I want–" Prompto gasped, throwing his head back against Noctis' shoulder and clinging to Ignis, hips twitching involuntarily as Noctis slipped a finger beneath the edge of his pants. Noctis and Ignis locked eyes, the moment hanging between them for a bare second before they both withdrew, the three of them scrambling to make it to the tent, Ignis zipping it closed behind them.

By the time he'd turned around, Prompto had already discarded his shirt, pinning Noctis beneath him and grinding his hips down into the prince's willing body. Ignis froze, mesmerized as Noctis moaned beautifully, shuddering and taking everything Prompto had to give, their hips moving together as Prompto settled over him. Prompto's back and shoulders were flushing pink, almost as much as his cheekbones, every freckle standing out in stark relief on his body, and suddenly Ignis was remembering the last time he had seen Prompto like this, but with a forceful spike of lust, he realized one very important thing.

This time he was allowed to touch.

Prompto, as if reading Ignis' mind, took a short break from nipping possessive marks along Noctis' jaw to pin Ignis with a sultry stare, both demanding and begging all at once. "Ignis. F-fuck me."

Ignis shuddered, cock coming to full attention and smirk overtaking his features. Prompto turned away from him then, shoving Noctis' shirt up beneath his armpits and making his way down the raven's flushed chest. Noctis writhed, actions frantic as he struggled out of his shirt before digging his fingers in Prompto's hair, the blond picking at the button of his pants teasingly with his teeth. Ignis tore his eyes away from the intoxicating sight of the two of them together to dig through a grocery bag sitting innocuous in the corner of the tent. He hadn't known for a fact that the three of them would end up this way anytime soon, but it never hurt to be prepared. Just as his hand closed around a cool bottle, Noctis let out a loud keen, sending every hair on Ignis' body standing on end. He turned around to a welcome sight.

Noctis' entire body shook, spine bowed against the tent floor, eyes clenched tightly shut in surprised pleasure. His pants were down, exposing oceans of creamy skin to the thickening air. One leg was pulled loose, resting over Prompto's shoulder while his pants hung off the other leg, both men too distracted to care. Prompto's head bobbed, eyes shut in concentration as he pulled Noctis' flushed cock into himself inch by inch, till his nose rested in a bed of wiry black hair. Cracking open a single lid, Prompto gave Ignis a hazed look, smiling even around the girth in his mouth, and _swallowed_.

Noctis jumped, but Prompto's hands held him firm to the ground, allowing no movement at all. "A-ah! Prom, w-wait!" But Prompto did not relent, throat convulsing around Noctis' cock and pushing, pushing, pushing even though he could go down no further. With a startled cry, Noctis' body went rigid, eyes blowing wide and fingers scrabbling for purchase against the featureless ground. Prompto held him there for several more seconds until Noctis collapsed into a shuddering heap, then he pulled off with several long gulps of air and a quiet cough. He wiped the side of his mouth, chest heaving, and sat up, Noctis laid out insensate before him.

Ignis gaped, body throbbing in time with their gasps, and then Prompto was looking at him, a playful challenge in his crystal gaze. Ignis was moving before he could consciously acknowledge the decision, and then Prompto was beneath him, chest pinned to the floor by Ignis' firm hand on his spine, Ignis' other deftly unhooking Prompto's pants and sliding them off of Prompto's thin hips. Prompto groaned as he was released from the confines of his jeans, kicking them off the rest of the way when they reached his ankles, leaving him completely exposed to Ignis' wandering gaze.

"Noctis," Ignis said, voice calm in striking contrast to his wildly beating heart. Noctis stirred at the command in Ignis' tone, turning to look. His eyes dilated obviously as he took in the two of them, and a pink lip disappeared between his white teeth. "Hold him down."

Noctis obeyed, sitting up and kneeling at their sides, replacing Ignis' hand on Prompto's back with his own. Not that it was the least bit necessary. Prompto showed no inclination to move at all as Ignis parted the blond's legs, other than to lift his hips in anticipation, balls and erection hanging hot and heavy beneath him.

Ignis would have loved to draw this out, to tease mercilessly until the only word Prompto remembered how to say was 'please', pride irked by the man's challenge, but his own body screamed at him for relief and he knew he could not delay much longer. Hardly waiting for the lubricant in his hand to warm, he circled Prompto's twitching entrance with firm strokes before slipping a finger inside. Prompto let out a whine, hips twitching at the same time as Noctis groaned, eyes locked onto where Ignis' fingers disappeared into the tight heat. Ignis cursed internally as his finger was encased in a slick velvet, Prompto clenching around him. Prompto was much too tight, too worked up and Ignis didn't know if he could wait, his cock throbbing insistently to the beat of his heart. He wanted to speed things up, but he refused to hurt Prompto. He decided to distract him instead. "Noct. Suck him."

Noctis' cock, which had slowly revived to show interest in the proceedings, jumped against his hip, filling further. Noctis removed his hand from Prompto's back and instead used it to help Prompto onto his hands and knees, wiggling beneath him until he lay on his back, Prompto's length hanging in his face. Without hesitation, he slipped his hands round Prompto's waist and pulled him down, simultaneously sinking the blond's cock into his throat and spreading their lover's cheeks for Ignis to work him open.

"Na-ah!" Prompto shouted, accidentally thrusting his hips down into Noct's waiting mouth. Noctis took him easily though, and the next thrust was encouraged, until he was rocking in between Noctis' mouth and Ignis' fingers, the second of which entered into him without any resistance. "Ah! Ah! Iggy, _please_ , I–" Ignis worked in a third finger, thrusting it in and out without touching Prompto's prostate, the blonde obviously holding on by a hair's breadth. The second the thought he could proceed without injuring Prompto he stood, hastily removing his clothes slipping behind him.

"Don't let him come, Noct," Ignis growled, losing his composure a little, and Prompto's choked off gasp was confirmation of Noctis' hand locking tightly around the base of Prompto's cock, preventing him from moving an inch in either direction. Prompto trembled, head shaking from side to side as his every move was thwarted. Ignis pressed the head of his member to the fluttering entrance spread so beautifully before him.

With a satisfied sigh, Ignis sank into Prompto's heat in one slow, sinuous push, barely conscious of the continuous stream of curses and begging spilling from Prompto's lips as his velvet walls grasped Ignis spasmodically. Ignis knew that the second he started moving, neither of them would be able to last, so he tried to hold still, tried to spread this moment as far as it would go. It wasn't to be, however, because their third lover, one hand furiously working over his own cock, reached up and ran his hot fingers over where Ignis and Prompto were joined. Noctis fondled Prompto's sack and ran his hand up and down Ignis' sensitive thighs, even as his throat worked around Prompto's cock. Ignis' control _snapped._

An almost animalistic instinct taking over, Ignis lost all sense and pulled out before slamming back home. Prompto cried out before grinding back and so Ignis did it again, and again, and _again_ , lust rising in him to a fever pitch until every part of him burned with it. Gasps, groans, curses and keens filled the tent, none of them knowing from whom they came but not caring in the least.

Prompto broke first, body convulsing around Ignis and spilling his seed into Noctis' mouth, then all over Noct's face when the prince pulled off with a gasp, his own orgasm spilling over his pumping hand and painting his stomach with white. Ignis only lasted a few more thrusts before he was coming himself, Prompto's inner muscles working him until he had nothing more to give.

Slowly, Prompto's arms gave out and he sank down, Ignis still inside him. Ignis came back to reality in a rush and scrambled to catch him before he could crush Noctis, who looked about ready to fall asleep where he lay. Pulling out carefully with a shudder that Prompto echoed, Ignis lowered Prompto to the ground beside Noctis, the man becoming limp and malleable as if his earlier aggression had never happened and allowing himself to be manipulated into a comfortable position. Wrinkling his nose, Ignis realized how humid it had become in the tent, his sweat and various liquids making his skin sticky. Limbs slowed with exhaustion after all the emotional and physical excitement, Ignis shuffled back and dug through the same grocery bag, pulling out several moist toilets.

When he returned, Prompto had come back to himself as well, peeking up through one cracked eye and making grabby motions for the cloths, small smile on his face. Handing one over, they cleaned themselves, then Noctis, who still refused to move, grumbling and swatting at their hands. Prompto laughed a little.

"Come on, buddy, you're laying in a puddle," he said, voice slightly rasped, and Noctis finally opened his eyes, lips curling into a salacious grin, stretching like an overly pleased cat. "Heh! No, nope, come on, Noct, you're killing me! I don't think I can handle another round tonight!"

A little while later when the three of them had settled down for the night, bottom halves clothed and tangled together lightly, Ignis was just about asleep, body and mind perfectly at ease when Prompto's voice drifted over him, pulling him reluctantly back back to wakefulness. "Hey, Iggy?" His hair tickled the bottom of Ignis' chin, and he wrinkled his nose. Ignis didn't want to be awake anymore, much to content with the night's conclusion to hang on for much longer.

"What is it?" he mumbled sleepily.

"What are we going to do about Gladio?"

Noctis, who was laying on Prompto's other side, shifted, propping his chin on Prompto's chest, curious about Ignis' answer as well.

Ignis sighed. He knew the question was coming, but he honestly didn't have the energy right now to give the matter his full attention. "Gladiolus and I have...an understanding."

"What's that mean?" Noctis asked.

"It's not for me to say. You will have to wait until he tells you himself, I'm afraid. Until then, pursuing him would not be...wise." Ignis was not sure if either of them spoke again, because, the last of his energy depleted, he was already fast asleep.

-o0o-

Jason's shoulders went rigid, heart pounding and adrenaline surging in his body and sending it into overdrive. Eyes blown wide, he couldn't let out so much as a gasp as chapped, masculine lips pressed firmly against his. His stomach fluttered, arms shaking with tension, though he couldn't tell whether he wanted to use them to lay Gladio out on his ass or pull him closer, damning the consequences.

Gladio's eyes were closed, the taller man cradling Jason's face gently in his calloused hands, lips pulling back and descending lightly once, twice, three times. Jason shuddered hard, not daring to breathe.

Gladio pulled back again, but not very far, leaving just an inch of space between them so that Jason could still feel the ghost of his breath on his lips. Gladio's eyes slowly opened, expression intense but unreadable to the shocked man, golds glinting almost unnaturally bright in the dim streetlight.

"Just for a little while, let's forget. Let go." And when Gladio kissed him again, Jason melted into his embrace, and did.

-o0o-

 **AN: Okay. I give up and no longer care how weird and unrealistic this is. This wasn't even close to what I intended when I came up with this concept, but this crazy romance thing has taken it over and is holding it hostage. It doesn't mean that the actual plot has changed at all, it will just make the story longer and a hell of a lot smuttier than I initially planned. Because apparently I have zero self control. Meh. Might as well indulge. And to think, this fic was supposed to be a break for me lol.**

 **Do you guys think Noctis learned his lesson and will communicate better? Does anyone else want to SMOTHER IGNIS WITH CUDDLES after reading this?**

 **Next Chapter: we get to find out a bit of Gladio's past, and Jason opens up some more. Heh.**

 **Heads up to my followers. I may stop posting here soon because of the general suckiness of this site. But no worries, you can always find me on ao3 under the same username.**


	24. Heartbreak

**I HAVE MOVED TO AO3 as _Lynnxrider_ AND WILL NO LONGER BE POSTING THIS STORY HERE. Letting you guys know since I got a message that one of my followers didn't know I moved :P As I write this note, Ch33 has been posted, so...find me there. This is the last chapter I'm posting on FF.**

 **-o0o-**

Getting out of the way.

Jason was pretty good at it, if he did say so himself. It's not that anyone ever blatantly asked for him to fuck off, but he could take the hint when it was given. He could safely say he was used to it at this point.

Don't get him wrong, it's not like his friends and family were cruel to him or didn't want him around or anything like that. He wouldn't be close with them anymore if they were. It's just that he recognized when he was standing between someone and something they wanted, and rather than stubbornly holding his ground because of something as dumb as 'hurt feelings' or whatever, he would just... step aside. It was easier for everyone that way. He didn't allow himself to insert his own desires into the equation, because every time he'd tried, he'd only set himself up for heartbreak. Or worse, caused discord for everyone else involved.

He'd lost some good friends that way. It was never worth it.

He had to wonder though, why Gladio was still here with him. He side eyed the large man walking silently beside him in the darkening evening. They'd been walking for a good couple of minutes and Gladio still hadn't removed the arm he'd thrown over Jason's shoulder, golds firmly locked on the movement of their feet and face inscrutable.

Jason just didn't get it. Unlike him, Gladio wasn't an outsider in this situation by any means. If Prompto and Noctis were any more blatant about their desire for Gladio to go with them the man would have eye shaped burn marks on his ass. Maybe Jason just wasn't sensitive to the situation because he had no idea how these sort of things worked, but he knew disappointment when he saw it, and it was written all over Prompto's face when Gladio decided to stay. Why did he, though? Was it really concern for Jason that held him here? Sure, it was possible Ardyn might go after them, but he found that pretty unlikely. What would he even do, mock them? As far as Jason knew, they were still following the path that Ardyn himself set, so he had no reason to interfere at this point. No, the more Jason thought about it, the more it sounded like an excuse for Gladio to avoid the others.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. But, meh. It wasn't the first time his friends had used him as an excuse to avoid their problems. He was sure Gladio would work out whatever was on his mind eventually, and if that meant he needed some time away from the others, Jason was happy to oblige.

Honestly, he was kind of glad. More and more, Jason found himself enjoying Gladiolus' company, finding that while initially he hadn't wanted to have anything to do with him, his calm presence sometimes felt like a balm on Jason's stress. After they'd talked the other night, it went a long way to help Jason from feeling like a raw, exposed nerve to feeling like someone out there had his back, if only a little. When he'd decided to stay in town alone, he was going to take the opportunity to think about his next move, but if Jason was being truthful to himself, the last thing he wanted to do was think about anything at all.

Gladiolus' firm arm around his shoulder, his warm weight against his side, their silent, if absent minded companionship...it was a nice distraction.

Jason stayed silent, allowing Gladio his thoughts, and stared out into the sunset instead. Subtly, he guided their steps back around the block before they wandered straight out of town, toting Gladio around like a particularly cumbersome handbag. Gladio didn't even seem to notice, so Jason followed his nose, seeking out the aforementioned food trucks and finding them easily. The town wasn't very big after all.

An empty lot between worn down buildings was emitting the most wonderful smell of cooking meat and sweet breads. A small smile twitched at Jason's mouth as nostalgia washed over him, the scene reminding him of one of his favorite hangouts in his hometown. His smile turned into a full blown chuckle as the sun finally set and street lights flickered on around them, the square lighting up with strings of golden pin lights hanging between poles.

Gladio shifted, and his arm tightened around Jason for a split second before he straightened. "Well, well, isn't this romantic?" he drawled.

"Yeah," Jason deadpanned, smirking a little. "Reminds me of the dates I used to go on...when I was twelve." He elbowed Gladio in the side. "You done using me like a crutch yet, or do I have to drag your heavy ass around all night?"

All of a sudden, Gladio's weight just got exponentially heavier, and Jason stumbled. "Urgh!"

"Heh, okay, okay," Gladio said, raising his hands in surrender before Jason could make good on the threat in his eyes. "Let's get some grub. I'm starving." Jason watched Gladio's sauntering form for a moment before rolling his eyes and following. Guy didn't seem to stay down for long, that was for sure.

It wasn't crowded by any means, only a few others out tonight for whatever reason, so they easily found a table to sit at while Jason payed for their food, fumbling a little with the strange currency of this world. It felt weird, he thought as he fingered the soft leather of Ignis' wallet, to be paying for something himself. He hadn't been able to do that for a while, and it made him feel a bit guilty since he hadn't actually done anything to earn that money. _You need to eat,_ a sensible voice inside him intoned, but it still stung his pride, having to be taken care of like he was a dependant.

"You have that look on your face again," Gladio said casually as they waited for their names to be called.

"What look?" Jason said absently, sliding the wallet back into his pocket. He glanced at Gladio, who leaned against his arms on their worn table, lifting a brow. Jason felt a little bit like a bug under a microscope.

"That look like you can't stand the thought of being taken care of."

Jason blinked, surprised that Gladio had sussed out exactly what he'd been thinking. He smiled awkwardly, avoiding his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Gladio leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and staring up into the sky in mock thought. "Oh, I dunno, the fact that you like to pretend you're invisible, you never speak up when you need something and look guilty every time you ask a question, and let's not forget, you walked around for weeks without brushing your damn hair because you didn't think we'd get you a comb."

"I–" Jason stuttered, taken aback. Had Gladio really been watching him that closely? "I don't feel guilty!" Of course, that wasn't entirely true. He felt guilty about a lot of things. Needing to eat wasn't one of them, however.

"Oh?" Gladio gave him a pointed look. "Is that why you look like you're about to cry everytime Ignis offers to mend your shirt?"

"I don't–I don't look like I'm about to cry! Fuck you, dude!" Jason could feel a disconcerted flush rising in his cheeks, scowling.

"Then spill. What's your deal? Neglectful parents? Abusive lovers? Survivor's guilt?"

"Wha–" Jason could feel his anger peaking at Gladio's mocking tone. Gladio, for his part, only seemed to become more calm, though he had his own scowl of annoyance on his face. Jason let out a frustrated sound and slumped back into his chair. "Ugh. I think I preferred it when I was afraid of you." When Gladio remained silent, clearly not willing to let it go, Jason gave in with a twitch of his eyes. "Fine. It's nothing so tragic as that, alright? I've just never been good at accepting help from anyone."

"So it's a pride thing."

"No! Yes. I don't know." He threw his hands up in the air, then abruptly deflated. "Look, I grew up a spoiled little rich kid, okay? And it was all good, right, I got everything I wanted as long as I was everything my parents wanted me to be." He grimaced, knowing how pathetic he sounded. This was precisely why he never talked to anyone about this, because it wasn't tragic. At all. Just really, really stupid. "I had a falling out with them when I was sixteen and have been on my own since. I don't accept help because I'm too damn proud to admit that I need it. There, you happy?"

Gladio was silent for a full minute while he processed this, and Jason refused to look him in the eye, feeling more pathetic by the second. "Are you telling me," Gladio started slowly, "that you're willing to die for your pride?"

"What? No!" Jason said immediately.

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure rejecting help for your basic needs is going to get you killed."

"I'm not–"

"Jason." Jason's mouth snapped shut at Gladio's sharp tone. He looked angry, fingers twitching on his arms as if he was restraining himself from strangling him. "This isn't a game. We're at _war_ and we can't afford to be selfish."

Jason's jaw clenched, seeing red. _Selfish?_ "You think," he said, jumping to his feet in a fit of pique, "that it's selfish for me to not want to be a burden? To not want to be treated like a damn useless _kid._ "

"Yes, I do!" Gladio said calmly in contrast to Jason's anger, the low rumble of his voice nothing but reasonable, as if he were talking to an irrational child. It only made him more pissed, shoulders going rigid. He was _this close_ to telling Gladio where he could shove it. "Did you ever stop to think that by refusing help, you were putting all of us in danger? What if you collapsed in the middle of battle and we had to risk ourselves to save you because you were too proud to say you weren't feeling well? Or should we just leave you there, 'cause _clearly_ you can take care of yourself?" Gladio's voice hardened, brows drawing together sternly. "The way you are now, you _are_ a burden."

Jason's breath came in short, rapid bursts, shoulders shaking with anger and seconds from throwing himself at Gladio, damn that he was stronger. He wanted to _hurt_ him, the stinging pain in his chest from Gladio's words smarting sharply. Gladio didn't move, staring Jason down but making no move to fight him. His arms were lax across his chest, gaze challenging.

With a force of will, Jason relaxed back on his heels, eyes cutting sharply away as he tried to get ahold of himself. Because dammit, Gladio was right. He _would_ hide it if he were in pain or sick. He absolutely loathed the feeling of people fussing over him or feeling like he was holding them back. What made it worse was that it wasn't even for any noble reason, like caring for others more than himself or anything like that. He just wanted to prove himself, or, more accurately, prove _to_ himself that he wasn't weak and that he didn't need anyone. It _was_ selfish. He didn't like having this flaw thrown in his face like this, and hated Gladio for it in that moment. His hands fisted tightly at his sides. "Yeah, well, until a little while ago I was a prisoner, so excuse me if I'm nervous about asking for stuff."

"What are you waiting for, permission?" Gladio scoffed, raising Jason's hackles. "Well, here it is. You have my permission to do whatever you want. No one's _making_ you do anything, Jason. You could have fucked off after you left the first time in Liede, but you chose to look for us. And once Noctis released you, you chose to stay. Stop making excuses."

Jason, so thoroughly called out, ground his teeth until he was afraid they would crack. He released his jaw with a force of will, refusing to look Gladio in the face.

After a moment, Gladio sighed. On stiff legs, Jason sat down, still not lifting his eyes from the cracked concrete beneath his feet and rather feeling like a chagrined child. "Look, I get that this isn't easy. Hell, I probably get wanting to impress your folks more than anyone, but this is ridiculous. Letting others help you out isn't a weakness, and no one's going to think you're this strong, manly man for refusing to brush your hair," Gladio said sarcastically, and Jason's lips twitched in reluctant amusement.

"I'm not trying to impress my parents," he denied weakly. And it was the truth. He'd grown out of that ages ago, and had long reconciled with them, because looking back, their fight just wasn't a big deal, just angsty teen rebellion and overbearing parents turning into a big ridiculous drama. Unfortunately for him, by the time he'd realized this, stubbornly fending for himself was already a habit. It was fine back in his world, where he'd had a paying job and enough sense to remember to pay his bills on time, but in this one he didn't have that option, literally couldn't survive without help. He realized that the problem had been growing steadily worse as the weeks went by, too wrapped up in his own personal hell to realize it was happening.

And then Gladio, the jerk that he was, finished hammering the nail in his coffin by saying, "You can't expect us to pay attention to you twenty four-seven because we can't trust you to look after yourself."

"Alright, alright, I get it," Jason groaned, letting out a bemused laugh. "I'm sorry. I was being childish."

"Yeah, you were," Gladio said, a little smugness in his tone. Jason glared halfheartedly and his grin only grew. "You didn't even notice you were doing it, did you?"

Jason sighed. "No, I didn't. I've had a lot on my mind, in case you didn't notice."

"We all do," Gladio said pointedly, expression grimming. Abruptly, Jason was reminded that he wasn't the only one who'd lost his home and his life. Great, now he felt even more like an ass. Because honestly, compared to his problems, these men had it way worse... Before Jason could get properly depressed about that, their names were called. Wordlessly, Gladio got up to go get their food, leaving Jason behind with his thoughts.

Jason stared down at the worn down grains in the wood beneath his fingers, scratching idly at an old flake of rust red paint. Clearly the table had seen better days, the grooves so deep that Jason was half convinced it had been out here for the better part of fifty years. It looked about as worn down as he was starting to feel, honestly. Just by silent observation, Gladio had managed to pick him apart, exposing his behaviors like he were an open book and calling him out for it ruthlessly. He wasn't quite sure whether he was angry about that or grateful that Gladio had seen this problem while Jason was too preoccupied to see it himself.

When Gladio came back, he dropped a greasy paper tray in front of Jason with a plop, the two tacos practically falling apart in their soggy shells. Heh. Trailer food. 'Fantasy based on reality' indeed. "Here you go, rich boy, eat up."

"Now, see, that's why I never tell anyone about that," Jason said, rolling his eyes. He was starting to give himself a headache with all of this sass overload. Or maybe it's because he keeps rolling his eyes. Whatever.

Gladio chuckled, taking a huge bite of his sandwich. "What'd you fight with your parents about, anyway?" he said through a mouthful of food.

Jason put a hand over his heart, taking on the most dramatically dismayed expression he could manage. "Oh, it was horrible, they–they–" he swooned, throwing a hand over his eyes. "They didn't approve of my _career choice!"_ he wailed facetiously in an obnoxious falsetto, drawing the attention of several people trying in vain to enjoy their dinner.

Gladio choked, face turning red as he attempted not to spew ham and lettuce all over the table. Jason mockingly dove for cover, peeking over the table with wide eyes, which only set Gladio off again. Jason grinned, sitting in his seat again as Gladio tried to regain his breath. He looked pretty ridiculous, Jason mused, all red faced and pursed lips, eyes crinkled in humor. Jason decided he liked this side of Gladio a lot more than his ass-kicking, stern dad routine. They were the same age, dammit, and he was going to treat Gladio like an equal. "But seriously. It was stupid. I wanted to be a martial artist and they wanted me to get a job that actually, y'know, paid. So like an ass, I ran away from home. Lucky for me, my instructor let me work at his dojo part time while I lived with one of my buddies." Jason smiled fondly at how young and naive he used to be. He found out a couple years later that his parents had practically begged Eddie to take him on, though he would have done so anyway. That was just the man he was. Nat had just been happy to have someone he didn't hate to split rent with.

Gladio snorted, exotic, amused eyes practically absorbing the golden light around them. "Ha! You're right, that isn't tragic. It's embarrassing. I wouldn't tell that story to anyone either."

"Shut up, man. It seemed like a really big deal at the time." Jason shoved a taco into his mouth, wincing a little at how weak the salsa was. Tch. White people. Or. Whatever ethnicity these people were. Lucians? In any case, they couldn't make good salsa. Come to think of it, he didn't remember if Ignis had any Mexican dishes. Something he'd have to fix as soon as they got together again, he mused idly. "Not everyone can have dramatic sob stories. I'm just an average guy."

"Or an idiot."

Jason threw a piece of limp lettuce at him. "Whatever. I'll ask for help more often, alright. And if you ever call me rich boy again, I will tear off your arm and bitch slap you with it." Jason frowned. "Or something equally ridiculous."

Gladio looked stunned for a second, before a slow, devious grin lit his features. "Whatever you say, baby face." Jason threw another piece of lettuce at him, but found himself grinning as well, despite his annoyance. "Heh. Got you to lighten the hell up without alcohol this time."

Jason thought that was rich, considering he'd just got done with his stern dad routine. "Congrats on distracting me from the end of the world," he said dryly.

"Oh? Do you find me distracting?" Gladio drawled, crossing his arms across his chest and deliberately flexing his muscles, making his tattoos dance across his skin. Jason blinked, incredulous, but his laugh came out as more of a strangled choke when he had a sudden vivid memory of those same arms–large, bulging and flushed–pinning him to the ground. Gladio's gaze sharpened at Jason's momentary lapse, lips twitched smugly as Jason spluttered. Abruptly, the mood changed from teasing to half-serious, an almost audible shift in the atmosphere that had Jason feeling inexplicably off balance.

Oh hell no. He was _not_ going to get flustered over this muscle bound idiot's dumb pick up lines.

Scrambling out of the verbal trap he'd just assigned himself, Jason injected his voice with as much scathing sarcasm as he could. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"Not around you," Gladio said, lowering his voice a couple octaves and giving Jason a look that could only be described as sultry.

Jason was ready to laugh it off again. He really was. But something in Gladio's voice–maybe the fact that it'd rumbled so deep it was almost a growl, or the fact that the joking flirtatiousness that Jason was used to hearing was completely absent–had his heart blocking his windpipe instead. Adrenaline sparked hard in his stomach, sending goosebumps up and down his arms.

What? Was he serious? Like, _serious,_ serious? Jason's stomach did this weird little swooping sensation that felt distinctly out of place, and he just...didn't know how to react. Because this was suddenly feeling a lot more deliberate than it had before, when he was convinced Gladio was just joking around with him. But. He stared carefully into Gladio's eyes. Really?

"I don't know if I should be offended or not by the expression on your face right now," Gladio said, voice abruptly going back to normal–thank fuck–and squinting suspiciously.

"Um." Jason said eloquently, and Gladio gave him a roguish smirk that simply wasn't fair. Jason wasn't really sure if he should feel intimidated or not by the sudden intent in his look. An intent that was just there all of a sudden, as if he'd only been waiting for Jason to slip up before he pounced like a damn puma.

"What, cat got your tongue?"

And he was reading his mind again. "Wha–I mean, are you–really?" Jason took a breath, feeling rather like he was breathing through a straw, and sternly ordered his words to work. Articulation is key. "I thought–but, you–me?" Well, he fucked that up. "I thought you were with Ignis!" he finally spat out. For a split second, he was proud of himself for getting out that wonderfully coherent sentence. Until he realized that wasn't even the main issue, since polyamory was a thing here. His thoughts were slipping dangerously into hysteria as his mind came to a full stop.

Gladio didn't really seem to think so either, but his eyes darkened a little. "Nah. It isn't like that between us anymore."

Jason opened his mouth, ready to let out a few more half chewed, panic induced nonsense words, when he paused. He blinked, rewinding and slowing that down for proper consumption. "Wait, what? But I thought…" He thought back to the night he'd first me them all–well, in any real way–and the way Ignis and Gladio had kissed so naturally. Not only that, but how close they seemed to be, as if they knew each other intimately inside and out; enough to know the other's thoughts, finish each other's jokes and play off one another's wit as if they'd rehearsed it. Now, unless Jason was very much mistaken and blind as a motherfucking bat, he hadn't noticed any dramatic breakup scene…Except that maybe he did. Did Ignis and Gladio break up that day when their three friends returned from camp? Without even saying anything? Jason remembered distinctly that moment when Gladio had stepped back from them, and how odd it had seemed at the time.

Did Prompto know about this? Judging by the wistful way his eyes went when Jason suggested all four of them get together, he guessed not.

Gladio gave Jason a long look before he sighed, all hints of playfulness draining out of him. He stood, grabbing his tray and tossing it in a nearby bin. "C'mon, let's get a room." He pulled out his cellphone and grimaced. "Huh, it's only eight. Is it sad that I'm actually tired enough to go to bed right now? Feel like an old man."

"Don't say that, we're the same age…" Jason said, momentarily distracted by how close Gladio was suddenly standing. But then he blinked, glaring accusingly. "Hey, wait! Don't just change the subject! When the hell did you two break up?"

Something crossed over Gladio's face then that hinted at something dark beneath his calm exterior. "The second he took up with Noctis," Gladio said sharply, and Jason's jaw snapped shut at his abruptness. Taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of his nose as if he hadn't meant to say that, Gladio turned and began to slowly walk down the street. It took several seconds for Jason to will himself to follow, mind spinning in confusion. What was that supposed to mean?

Was Gladio...mad at Noctis? For stealing Ignis? That didn't really make any sense though, because Jason hadn't sensed anything of the sort. Not with the way they spoke or the casual touches between them or the possesive way Gladio held Noctis in his sleep. But if the resentment Gladio had just shown him wasn't out of jealousy, then...what?

Jason drew even with Gladio, peering at his face cautiously, not entirely sure of his mood. Whatever was up was clearly bothering him, judging by the hard set of his jaw and the perfect line of his shoulders, as if he wouldn't allow his feelings to bow them. Every shift of his body was telling Jason that Gladio did not want to talk about this. But. It kind of looked like he needed to.

"So?" Jason said against his better judgement, lifting a brow. "You going to elaborate on that, or what?"

Gladio grimaced, shooting him a glare that would have made Jason back off only the week before. But now, after he'd seen the other sides of Gladio–caring, amused, protective–he couldn't be afraid if he tried. "When the hell did you get so cocky?"

"This is your fault, remember?" Jason grinned. "You're glares don't work on me anymore, Mr Shield. Besides, you just spent the last hour dissecting me, so turnabout is fair play."

Gladio grumbled. "At least your sense of humor has improved."

"Excuse me? My sense of humor is always awesome. I don't feel much like joking around when my life is threatened four times a day." Jason faltered a little, but wasn't about to take any more of Gladio's evasion. "No more stalling. Spill."

With a deep sigh, Gladio shot Jason another weak glare before giving in with a shrug. "We didn't really break up. Honestly we were never really together, in a sense. Iggy and I have a sort of...arrangement."

"An...arrangement," Jason said flatly. "Like, a friends with benefits arrangement?"

Gladio hummed, staring absently at a streetlamp they passed slowly. "Kind of. It's not that simple."

"Try me."

"Was that an offer?" When Jason only glared, Gladio flashed him a grin before he swiftly moved on, sobering. "You know how Noctis and Ignis were together?"

"Yeah, Prompto said they broke up after a misunderstanding, or something." He'd been pretty vague on that. Just that it was apparently bad enough to destroy their friendship entirely.

"Ha. That's an understatement. I won't get too into it since it's kind of personal. You'll have to ask them yourself. Thing is...Iggy didn't take it too well."

"What happened?" Jason asked quietly when it was apparent that Gladio was lost in some dark memory. His walk had slowed to almost a crawl, the two of them barely moving at all anymore. Jason got the distinct feeling he was about to delve too deeply into these men's personal lives, like he wasn't meant to hear this. He shifted, not liking the feeling at all, but didn't interrupt, realizing that his discomfort wasn't the issue here. Gladio seemed to need to talk about this, and Jason was the only one who wasn't directly involved.

After a moment, Gladio shook himself out of his memory, slipping his thumbs in his pockets and coming to a stop. It pulled his black pants slightly lower, exposing a small sliver of his pelvis to the golden light of the streetlamps. "He shut down. He threw himself at his work and wouldn't let himself feel anything, and I didn't see him smile for months afterwards." Jason pulled his eyes away with a bit of effort, trying to imagine an even more reserved Ignis than the one he knew. It wasn't easy, considering his smiles were rare enough as they were. Gladio continued, wistful. "You know, I used to hate Ignis." He smiled a bit at Jason's surprise. "I always thought he was just some pompous ass who thought himself too good to socialize with the rest of us. It wasn't until I pulled him off the sidewalk, a cocktail away from alcohol poisoning, that I realized what a load of crap that was." He shrugged. "It couldn't have happened at a better time honestly. I'd just gotten out of a dead end relationship myself. He needed someone to take care of, and I needed to...feel needed, I guess. We started to see each other not long after that."

"So…" Jason said slowly, trying to wrap his head around all of this. Jeze, talk about having a complicated love life. "When you said arrangement, you meant…"

Gladio grunted. "Our relationship always had an expiration date, you could say. I knew that someday Noctis would pull his head out of his ass and forgive Ignis. Also figured that Ignis would go back to him, which he did."

"So you let him go? Just like that?" Jason didn't get it. At all. "You love him, don't you?"

Gladio gave him a look. "You've never stepped aside for someone you loved?"

Jason had. He knew exactly what that was like. But unlike Gladio, the person he loved didn't love him back, and Ignis clearly did. So did Noctis and Prompto, unless he was reading them completely wrong.

Gladio chuckled suddenly, flicking Jason in the forehead. "You know I can read everything you're thinking all over your face, right?" Jason scowled, rubbing his forehead, and Gladio's lips twitched. "It's not a lack of attraction or anything like that. I just have a job to do, and I can't be Noctis' shield _and_ his lover. It doesn't work that way."

"What? Says who?" If anything, Jason thought he would protect Noctis all the more fiercely if they were together.

"Say's me," Gladio said firmly, eyes intense, though it didn't seem like he was staring at anything that Jason could see. "I don't think I can do my job without that distance. It's my Calling to throw myself in front of everything that endangers my king, and I fully expect to die one day doing it. Noctis _cannot_ put himself in danger to protect me. It's already bad enough that he's so protective of Prom and Iggy."

It's a little late for that, Jason thought privately. Noctis was already willing to throw himself into the flames for Gladio. So, Gladio was keeping his distance to prevent that from happening? His reasoning, though a bit flawed, made sense, and Jason could respect that. That is, if it wasn't one hundred years too late. "That...is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard." Gladio started, surprised at the strength of Jason's tone. Jason turned around to face him fully, poking him in the chest. "It's way too late to think like this, and you know it. If you wanted to just be a meat shield, you wouldn't touch Noctis every chance you got, or go out of your way to make sure he was holding up okay, or _cradle him in your arms while you sleep_. I get what you're saying but if you think for one second that Noctis isn't already in way too deep, then you're _blind."_

A flash of anger sparked in Gladio's eyes. He straightened, looming over Jason fiercely. His voice dropped an octave in anger. "You think I don't know that? I knew from the start I was getting too close to him, and I let myself do it like a goddamned idiot. Then you up and tell me that Noctis sacrifices himself for us and _I fail_. He dies, I live, and that's not how this is supposed to work. _A shield should never outlive his king."_

As the last of Gladio's words echoe harshly against the street, Jason realized that he might have gone too far by pointing out the obvious flaws in the man's logic. Gladio _needs_ the distance, he thought in a sudden flash of clarity. Jason told him that he basically fails in his entire life's purpose, and he thinks that by pulling back he might be able to do something to prevent it. It looked like Gladio'd made his choice, and he wasn't going to back down from it. Jason knew there was no way that was going to work, but Gladio was probably aware of that, just didn't know what else to do.

The fact was, it wasn't Jason's place to say so, no matter how much Gladio needed to hear the words.

"You're right," Jason said softly, breaking eye contact first and looking at crack in the pavement beside his boot. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

Gladio was standing much, much too close, heat radiating off of him and engulfing Jason in the already humid night, making a bead of sweat slide down Jason's face and neck. Jason didn't move, trying to exude as much submissiveness as he could so that Gladio wouldn't lash out in anger. Curiously, he didn't feel any fear at the prospect, just a little sad. The last thing he'd wanted to do was make the man feel worse than he already clearly did. Finally, Gladio let out a sigh and took a half step back, something in Jason's lower back easing a little at the small shift. He looked up carefully beneath black lashes to see Gladio looking derisively down at him.

"No. I...dammit. I didn't mean to ramble on about myself. Believe it or not, I was actually planning to make sure you were doing alright, give _you_ someone to vent on." Jason's face told Gladio all he needed to know about what he thought about that, and Gladio laughed, a pleasant rumble. "Yeah, I thought as much. Tell me anyway. How are you holding up?"

Jason gave him a sidelong glance, rolling a pebble beneath his foot absently and shoving his hands in his pockets. "Okay, I guess…" he was still reeling a bit from the abrupt change in conversation.

Gladio snorted, half sitting on the low wall behind him. "Don't give me that. Every time you look at Prompto, you look like you're about to cry." He looked up, placing a mocking hand on his chin. "Either that, or you look like you want to hug him and never let go."

Jason's jaw fell slack in shock. "What! I do not!"

Gladio raised a knowing brow. Jason wasn't sure he liked his tone. "Look, I just." A wave of stress flooded up from somewhere low in his gut to choke him as a flash of Prompto's smiling face was conjured in his mind. He let out a pained sigh, shoulders tightening. He didn't want to think about this, much less talk about it. "You ever know something about someone that they didn't know themselves. Something you thought would break them if they found out?"

"No?" Gladio said slowly. "Is this another one of those, 'I know the future' things?"

Jason nodded slowly. "I don't want him to ever find out…" he whispered. And he was going to do everything in his power to make sure Prompto never did.

Gladio looked like he wanted to say something, but he pinched his lips together instead. "You really are taking too much of this onto yourself," he said plainly. "You keep acting like you have to single handedly protect us from Ardyn, or the future, or whatever the hell else. Why?"

"The hell, Gladio. I'm not heartless," Jason said sharply. "I find out that this is all real, and that I actually have the knowledge to stop this big fucking tragedy from happening, you think I'm just going to walk away and pretend none of it is happening?"

"That's what most people would do."

"Yeah, well, I'm not most people." Jason snapped.

"That you aren't," Gladio said, smiling fondly, cocking his head to the side. Jason paused, gulping a little at the assessing way the man looked at him. "But don't dodge the question. You've told us everything we need to know to figure it out ourselves. So why are you still here?"

Jason shifted from foot to foot, finding it hard to look Gladio in the eye. He had a bunch of reasons. A bunch of good, selfless reasons. But for some strange happenstance, he couldn't think of a single one. Because Gladio was right. Again. He'd told them everything he remembered, and even the thing about Prompto; he could just tell Gladio now and he knew the man would take care of it. And what could he do, anyway? He wasn't as strong as the rest of them, and he wasn't exactly useful in fighting a bunch of fantasy monsters or men with extraordinary magic. If anything, he was a detriment to their teamwork and an extra burden. He'd done his part, and even the excuse of maybe finding a way home wasn't a good enough reason to continually risk his life. He couldn't go home if he was dead. So why? Why did he stay?

A sudden rush of memories hit him hard then–Prompto's stricken eyes when Jason told him he didn't exist, Prompto handing him a potion when the rest of them would rather him suffer, Prompto believing him, buying him things he needed even though he didn't ask, almost getting crushed and the utter relief of seeing him alive again, Prompto inviting him in from the cold–

 _"Prompto…"_ Jason said, wide eyes unseeing and voice cracking at the admission. That was it, wasn't it? Jason was doing this for _him._ Maybe he had been from the very start. He...loved him. He loved his laughter, loved the way he took care of everyone, loved the way his smile shined like the sun, his loyalty to his friends, how he was so careful with others' feelings and put them before himself. Even his painful insecurity, the constant way he needed reassurance and his pension for being as annoying as possible to distract them when things were getting too serious, even though it was wildly inappropriate, was endearing to Jason. His heart flooded with warmth. Jason loved Prompto.

Just as soon as he had the realization a second one impaled him in the chest, choking off his air.

He'd set himself up for heartbreak.

Jason's love wouldn't, _couldn't,_ ever be returned because Prompto was with someone else who hated Jason. Noctis would never allow it.

Jason looked up, realizing belatedly that his eyes had filled with tears, to stare at Gladio. The larger man stared right back, the grim look of understanding on his features almost physically painful to look at and Jason realized suddenly that their situations were very similar. Neither of them could be with the one they loved. When Noctis, Ignis and Prompto got together, they were left behind with no hope.

And the worst part was, both of them were _choosing_ to step aside, rather than potentially ruining what already was.

"You know," Gladio said after a few silent moments. He stood, taking a step closer. "I'm glad you stayed. I'm glad you're _going_ to stay, even though this isn't even your world and you don't owe us anything." Even though he probably wouldn't ever have Prompto's love, went unsaid. And Jason found that it was true. The realization didn't make his burning desire to protect the man any less. He would see this through to the end. A tear slipped down his face, and he blinked the rest away, not wanting to cry in front of Gladio. It wasn't like this was the first time something like this had happened to him. He could handle it. "I admire you for it."

Jason startled as Gladio slipped a hand up to cup his face, thumb rough and calloused but gentle as it wiped away the moisture below his eye. Jason twitched but didn't pull away from his touch, brow furrowing and looking into Gladio's face carefully. Gladio's expression was open. A little sad, but there was desire there, the same desire Jason had began to sense not too long ago. Jason didn't know what to do with such a look, didn't even know where it came from, especially after all they'd just talked about. "...What are you doing?"

Gladio scoffed softly. "Is it so hard to believe that I find you attractive? I've been flirting with you for weeks."

Well. Yes. It was. Gladio _had_ been flirting, but Jason just thought it was a joke. And now, if anything, it felt like an excuse, a way to forget about the ones that Gladio couldn't have. That thought burned through his mind and made him feel even worse. Besides that, Jason had just found out that he liked Prompto, a man, and just barely started to consider Gladio a friend, much less a potential romantic interest. "I don't think I want to be your excuse," Jason said instead of all the other things running through his head. He wondered if this is how Gladio had gotten together with Ignis. 'Hey, both our relationships failed, so let's get together because I think you're hot, even though we'll probably break up once you get with the one you really want'. Or something like that. Did Gladio think they were going to have the same sort of 'arrangement'? Only this time, it would be _Jason_ who was left behind once Gladio inevitably realized that he was being stupid and joined the rest of them?

Jason didn't want that. Still, he wavered, because in that moment he felt desperately, despairingly alone, and Gladio was offering a comfort he likely wasn't going to get anywhere else. Even though this could only end in utter disaster, Jason wanted that comfort. More than anything.

Even if it was just an illusion.

"You're wrong." Gladio said, intense. His eyes seemed unnaturally bright in the streetlight as he leaned in closer. "I don't want just another distraction. I like you. Go out with me." Jason didn't believe him, but didn't stop him either as hot breath washed over his face.

He went rigid as thin, chapped lips slid gently over his own, hard and unyielding. A fine tremor starting in his spine and spreading all over his body. He held back a gasp, eyes blowing wide and having no idea what to do with himself as Gladio held his face gently in one hand and wrapped the other around his waist, pulling him closer. He let out a small noise as a bur on Gladio's lips caught on his own, the dry scratch sending a tingling sensation throughout his whole body. Gladio pulled back before kissing him again, once, twice, three times, eyes intense beneath lids dropped to half mast. Jason shuddered, hard, and his hands came up to grip Gladio's shoulders, not sure whether he wanted to pull him closer or shove him on his ass.

It was so vastly different from anything he'd ever experienced before, being held rather than holding. The girls he'd dated, so slim and small and soft, were a stark contrast to the firmness of Gladio's massive chest against his own, his large hand winding through his hair to scratch at his scalp and the chapped press of his lips, using their slight height difference to his advantage by tipping Jason's head back.

Jason didn't know if he liked it. He wanted to pull away. He wanted to press closer.

He wanted to forget.

Gladio, mimicking his thoughts for the third time that night, whispered against his mouth. "Just for a little while, let's forget. Let go."

Jason blinked slowly, feeling a bit dazed. "Yes," he mumbled back, not sure what, exactly he was agreeing to, just knowing he needed some sort of relief before he broke. The next time Gladio kissed him, Jason melted, leaning his body into it and tilting his chin to the side with a small exhale so that they fit together more comfortably. He could feel Gladio smile against his lips and with a final kiss the man pulled back, taking Jason by the hand and walking back towards the town.

Jason stared at their joined hands as he followed blindly, cataloguing every callous, vein and scar in the large hand wrapped around his, not even noticing when they'd stopped, when Gladio payed the hotel fee, when they'd entered the room and the door closed behind them with a click.

He blinked back to half awareness when Gladio let go of his hand, watching as the larger man did away with the harsh fluorescent light and flicked on a small lamp, golden glow setting soft shadows in the dingy room. Gladio turned back towards Jason, shedding his jacket as he came close, leaving his entire torso bare, abs rippling with every shift of his hips. Jason watched numbly as Gladio reached towards him slowly and undid the straps of Jason's leather gauntlets, slipping them from his arms gently with more than a few soft touches. Jason felt weird, but he didn't comment as first one, then another of his gloves fell to the floor. Jason had already long shed his protective outer layer on account of the heat, so Gladio started on the buttons on his thin undershirt.

A hard knuckle brushed against Jason's collarbone, and he shivered. A little thrill of adrenaline had Jason reaching to stop the movement of Gladio's hands, brows drawing together uncertainly. "You going to wear all of that to bed?" the larger man asked, voice almost too loud in the quiet room.

Jason gulped. Bed? His eyes flickered over to the single bed in the room, heart racing in his throat at the implications. Was Gladio intending to sleep with him? Did Jason want that? His cheeks heated at the idea, along with the rest of his body.

While Jason was distracted, Gladio worked through the rest of his buttons, but made no move to slip his shirt from his shoulders, leaving it to hang open on his chest. Gladio's eyes slipped downward, and Jason's heart skipped a beat. But he only gestured to Jason's shin guards and shoes before turning away and taking care of his own clothes.

Jason sat on the edge of the bed, working on the ties behind his legs until his armor was completely removed, then working off his shoes, the cumbersome pieces dropping to the floor with startlingly loud clumps.

Jason jumped when Gladio's feet came into his vision, calloused hands slipping around his cheeks to lift his face up to look at him. Gladio bent over, placing a single chaste kiss to Jason's lips. "Hey. Calm down, I'm not going to do anything you don't ask for." And it was so weird. Gladio was being so gentle and it was such an odd role reversal for Jason, who felt like some teenage virgin girl that needed to be delicately handled. It was that that finally woke Jason up completely, with a spark of irritation. He didn't need to be _coddled_ , dammit. Because he _wasn't_ a teenage virgin girl.

...Just a twenty four year old virgin guy. But what was Jason without his pride?

Snaking his arms around Gladio's shoulders, Jason pressed his mouth against his firmly, swallowing the shields surprised grunt as he pulled him down on the bed. He let out an _oof_ as Gladio's weight abruptly settled on top of him. Taking advantage of Gladio's open mouth, Jason slipped his tongue inside. A sharp spike of arousal heated his blood as Gladio's tongue instantly wrapped around his, sliding slickly as he drew closer. Gladio laughed into his mouth as Jason tried to devour him, wresting control by flipping the larger man onto his back and pinning him to the bed. He growled, stradling Gladiolus' lap aggressively.

"Heh, there you are," Gladio rumbled deeply with a salacious grin. His voice vibrated through his chest and into Jason's, and the man shivered at the foreign sensation. "Took you long enough to wake up."

"Ass," Jason said, panting a little, and abruptly felt more normal, the two of them slipping into their usual banter more easily than should have been possible, considering the odd situation. Gladio lifted a brow and Jason shifted, uncertain again and having no idea what the hell to do from his superior position. This was a little...out of his range of experience.

Gladio took advantage of his distraction, tipping him to the side and pulling Jason against his chest, Jason's head pillowed by one of his massive biceps. He threw an arm around Jason's waist, exactly the same as if they were in camp and about to go to sleep, then grinned down at Jason's surprised expression. "As much as I would love you to fuck me tonight, I don't think you're ready for that."

"Wha–" Jason's jaw dropped. Gladio was much, much too close, close enough to feel his breath against his cheeks. Jason's face felt like it would burn anything it touched. "Fuck– _you?_ I'm not _ready?_ " Aaand he was back to stuttering like a lunatic. Gladio chuckled, much to Jason's chagrin, and placed a blistering kiss on his mouth. Jason moaned in surprised arousal, deciding that yes, he did like it when Gladio did that, just in time for Gladio to pull away. He glared at him, but didn't move to kiss Gladio again.

"Go to sleep, babe. There'll be plenty of time for that later." Gladio wiggled his brows at Jason, who was struck dumb by his apparent graduation from 'baby face' to 'babe', before pulling back and flicking off the lamp. Bathed in complete darkness, Jason felt Gladio settle down half on top of him just like always. His heart rate spiked as he felt Gladio's obvious arousal press into his hip beside his own half hard one, but true to his word, Gladio didn't move to do anything about it.

Thoroughly and utterly distracted, Jason couldn't think of a damn thing other than Gladio's huge, comforting weight against him. After a while listening to the larger man's steady heartbeat thrumming against his ear, Jason fell into a deep sleep, exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of the day pulling him under and dreams steering thankfully clear of nightmares, lingering only on large, calloused hands clasped in his.

-o0o-

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